The right to ride bill (H.R. 2966) has passed the house of representatives, was sent to the Senate and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources for review. Ask Kentucky residents please call or e-mail senate majority whip Mitch McConnell urging him to help get this bill to a vote. The Senator can get this done and he will respond if he is encouraged to do so. E-mails or calls  to the Illinois Senators would also help.

Right-to-Ride Livestock on Federal Lands Act of 2004 (Reported in House) HR 2966 RH  Union Calendar No. 339 108th CONGRESS 2d Session H. R. 2966 [Report No. 108-513, Part I] To preserve the use and access of pack and saddle stock animals on public lands, including wilderness areas, national monuments, and other specifically designated areas, administered by the National Park Service, the Bureau of Land Management, the United States Fish and Wildlife Service, or the Forest Service where there is a historical tradition of such use, and for other purposes.  IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES July 25, 2003 Mr. RADANOVICH (for himself, Mr. NUNES, Mr. OTTER, Mr. DOOLITTLE, Mr. HEFLEY, Mr. HERGER, Mr. REHBERG, and Mr. COLLINS) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Resources, and in addition to the Committee on Agriculture, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned  May 20, 2004 Reported from the Committee on Resources with an amendment  [Strike out all after the enacting clause and insert the part printed in italic] May 20, 2004 Referral to the Committee on Agriculture extended for a period ending not later than June 30, 2004  June 30, 2004 Additional sponsors: Mr. LUCAS of Kentucky, Mr. DEAL of Georgia, Mr. WAMP, Mr. SHIMKUS, Mr. DOOLEY of California, Mrs. CUBIN, Mr. MCKEON, Mr. BEAUPREZ, Mr. SIMPSON, Mr. LARSEN of Washington, Mr. GIBBONS, Mr. PEARCE, Mr. MCCOTTER, and Mr. Filner  June 30, 2004 The Committee on Agriculture discharged; committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the State of the Union and ordered to be printed  [For text of introduced bill, see copy of bill as introduced on July 25, 2003] -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- A BILL To preserve the use and access of pack and saddle stock animals on public lands, including wilderness areas, national monuments, and other specifically designated areas, administered by the National Park Service, the Bureau of Land Management, the United States Fish and Wildlife Service, or the Forest Service where there is a historical tradition of such use, and for other purposes.  Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. This Act may be cited as the `Right -to-Ride Livestock on Federal Lands Act of 2004'. SEC. 2. USE AND ACCESS OF PACK AND SADDLE ANIMALS ON PUBLIC LANDS. (a) National Park System Lands- Section 12 of Public Law 91-383 (16 U.S.C. 1a-7) is amended by adding at the end the following new subsection: `(c) Use and Access of Pack and Saddle Animals-  `(1) General rule- The Secretary of the Interior shall provide for the management of National Park System lands to preserve and facilitate the continued use and access of pack and saddle stock animals on such lands, including wilderness areas, national monuments, and other specifically designated areas, where there is a historical tradition of such use. As a general rule, all trails, routes, and areas used by pack and saddle stock shall remain open and accessible for such use. The Secretary may implement a proposed reduction in the use and access of pack and saddle stock animals on such lands only after complying with the full review process required under the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.). `(2) Rules of construction- Nothing in paragraph (1) shall be construed-- `(A) to authorize the Secretary to refuse to issue a permit for a new use of pack and saddle stock animals, including use by a commercial outfitter or guide, without complying with applicable resource management plans and planning processes required under this Act or any other provision of law; `(B) to limit the authority of the Secretary to impose a temporary emergency closure of a trail, route, or area to pack and saddle stock animals or issue special permits; or `(C) to create a preference for one recreational use for any unit of the National Park System, without consideration of the stated purpose of the unit.'. (b) Bureau of Land Management Lands- Section 302 of the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976 (43 U.S.C. 1732) is amended by adding at the end the following new subsection: `(e) Use and Access of Pack and Saddle Animals-  `(1) General rule- The Secretary shall provide for the management of public lands to preserve and facilitate the continued use and access of pack and saddle stock animals on such lands, including wilderness areas, national monuments, and other specifically designated areas, where there is a historical tradition of such use. As a general rule, all trails, routes, and areas used by pack and saddle stock shall remain open and accessible for such use. The Secretary may implement a proposed reduction in the use and access of pack and saddle stock animals on such lands only after complying with the full review process required under the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.). `(2) Rules of construction- Nothing in paragraph (1) shall be construed-- `(A) to authorize the Secretary to refuse to issue a permit for a new use of pack and saddle stock animals, including use by a commercial outfitter or guide, without complying with applicable resource management plans and planning processes required under this Act or any other provision of law; `(B) to limit the authority of the Secretary to impose a temporary emergency closure of a trail, route, or area to pack and saddle stock animals or issue special permits; or `(C) to create a preference for one recreational use for any area of the public lands, without consideration of the stated purpose of the area.'. (c) National Wildlife Refuge System Lands- Section 4(d) of the National Wildlife Refuge System Administration Act of 1966 (16 U.S.C. 668dd(d)) is amended by adding at the end the following new paragraph: `(5)(A) The Secretary shall provide for the management of System lands to preserve and facilitate the continued use and access of pack and saddle stock animals on such lands, including wilderness areas, national monuments, and other specifically designated areas, where there is a historical tradition of such use. As a general rule, all trails, routes, and areas used by pack and saddle stock shall remain open and accessible for such use. The Secretary may implement a proposed reduction in the use and access of pack and saddle stock animals on such lands only after complying with the full review process required under the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.). `(B) Nothing in subparagraph (A) shall be construed-- `(i) to authorize the Secretary to refuse to issue a permit for a new use of pack and saddle stock animals, including use by a commercial outfitter or guide, without complying with applicable resource management plans and planning processes required under this Act or any other provision of law; `(ii) to limit the authority of the Secretary to impose a temporary emergency closure of a trail, route, or area to pack and saddle stock animals or issue special permits; or `(iii) to create a preference for one recreational use for any unit of the System, without consideration of the stated purpose of the unit.'. (d) National Forest System Lands- Section 15 of the Forest and Rangeland Renewable Resources Planning Act of 1974 (16 U.S.C. 1613) is amended-- (1) by inserting `(a)' before `Regulations'; and (2) by adding at the end the following new subsection: `(b) Use and Access of Pack and Saddle Animals-  `(1) General rule- The Secretary shall provide for the management of National Forest System lands to preserve and facilitate the continued use and access of pack and saddle stock animals on such lands, including wilderness areas, national monuments, and other specifically designated areas, where there is a historical tradition of such use. As a general rule, all trails, routes, and areas used by pack and saddle stock shall remain open and accessible for such use. The Secretary may implement a proposed reduction in the use and access of pack and saddle stock animals on such lands only after complying with the full review process required under the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.). `(2) Rules of construction- Nothing in paragraph (1) shall be construed-- `(A) to authorize the Secretary to refuse to issue a permit for a new use of pack and saddle stock animals, including use by a commercial outfitter or guide, without complying with applicable resource management plans and planning processes required under this Act or any other provision of law; `(B) to limit the authority of the Secretary to impose a temporary emergency closure of a trail, route, or area to pack and saddle stock animals or issue special permits; or `(C) to create a preference for one recreational use for any unit of the National Forest System, without consideration of the stated purpose of the unit.'. (e) Issuance of Rules- Not later than 120 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of the Interior and the Secretary of Agriculture shall issue final rules to define the meaning of a historical tradition of use of pack and saddle stock animals on Federal lands for purposes of the amendments made by this section. Union Calendar No. 339  108th CONGRESS 2d Session H. R. 2966 [Report No. 108-513, Part I] A BILL To preserve the use and access of pack and saddle stock animals on public lands, including wilderness areas, national monuments, and other specifically designated areas, administered by the National Park Service, the Bureau of Land Management, the United States Fish and Wildlife Service, or the Forest Service where there is a historical tradition of such use, and for other purposes.  -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- June 30, 2004 The Committee on Agriculture discharged; committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the State of the Union and ordered to be printed