Chiricahua National Park Act
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The bill would redesignate the Chiricahua National Monument in Arizona as Chiricahua National Park, keeping its existing boundaries and funding but requiring the Park Service to protect and provide tribal access to traditional cultural and religious sites within it.
It would also let the Park Service temporarily close small areas of the park at a tribe's request to protect traditional cultural or customary uses, while keeping such closures as narrow and short as practicable.
What this bill would do
What it would do
The bill would rename the Chiricahua National Monument in Arizona as "Chiricahua National Park," keeping the same boundaries and directing that any existing law, map, regulation, or document referring to the monument be treated as referring to the new park. Funds already available for the monument would remain available for the park, and the Secretary of the Interior would continue administering it under the original presidential proclamations and the laws generally governing National Park System units. The bill would also require the Secretary to protect traditional cultural and religious sites within the park in consultation with Indian Tribes, and to provide tribal members access to those sites for traditional cultural and customary uses. At a tribe's request, the Secretary could temporarily close specific areas of the park to the general public to protect such uses, but any closure must be limited to the smallest area and shortest time necessary.
Key provisions
- 1Would redesignate the Chiricahua National Monument as Chiricahua National Park, retaining its current boundaries and existing funding availability
- 2Would treat any existing legal or administrative reference to the monument as referring to the new park
- 3Would require the Secretary of the Interior to administer the park under the original proclamations and standard National Park System laws
- 4Would require the Secretary to protect traditional cultural and religious sites in the park in consultation with Indian Tribes
- 5Would require the Secretary to provide tribal members access to those sites for traditional cultural and customary uses
- 6Would allow the Secretary, at a tribe's request, to temporarily close specific park areas to the public, limited to the smallest area and shortest necessary period
Who would be affected
Visitors to and staff of the Chiricahua National Monument/Park, the National Park Service, the Department of the Interior, and Indian Tribes with traditional cultural or religious ties to sites within the park who would gain guaranteed access and potential temporary closure authority.
Why it matters
The redesignation elevates the site's name and public profile without changing its boundaries, funding, or governing laws. The tribal access and closure provisions give affected tribes a clearer, legally grounded path to protect and use culturally significant sites, while limiting how much of the park can be closed to the public and for how long.
What would change
Changes to existing law
Amends Presidential Proclamation 1692 (54 U.S.C. 320301 note; 43 Stat. 1946) (Sec. 2)
The monument it established is redesignated as a national park while the Secretary continues to administer it under this proclamation.
Agencies directed to act
Funding and costs
Congressional Budget Office estimate
CBO estimates that H.R. 6380 would have no significant effect on the federal budget.
H.R. 6380 would redesignate the Chiricahua National Monument in Arizona as Chiricahua National Park. CBO finds the bill would have no significant budgetary effect because the redesignation would not change the ownership or management of the area, and any additional administrative requirements — such as consulting with Indian tribes and temporarily closing areas to protect traditional cultural sites — could be carried out within existing National Park Service resources. CBO identified no intergovernmental or private-sector mandates in the bill.
How implementation would work
The Park Service would update maps, signage, and records to reflect the new "Chiricahua National Park" name while continuing to administer the site under existing proclamations and park-system laws. It would consult with Indian Tribes to identify and protect traditional cultural and religious sites, ensure tribal access to them, and process tribal requests for temporary closures of specific areas, keeping any such closure as small and brief as practicable.
Legislative status & sources
Latest action
Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.
Official CRS summary
Show the CRS summaryHide the CRS summary
This bill redesignates the Chiricahua National Monument in Arizona as the Chiricahua National Park.
The bill directs the National Park Service (NPS) to (1) ensure the protection of traditional cultural and religious sites in the park, and (2) provide access to those sites by members of Indian tribes for traditional cultural and customary uses.
Upon the request of an Indian tribe, the NPS may temporarily close to general public use one or more specific areas of the park to protect traditional cultural and customary uses in the area by members of the tribe. The closure must be limited to the smallest practicable area for the minimum period necessary for the traditional cultural and religious activities.
Legislative subjects
Arizona; Federal-Indian relations; Monuments and memorials; Parks, recreation areas, trails; Public Lands and Natural Resources
Committee report
H. Rept. 119-543