Public Lands Military Readiness Act of 2025

Floor Speech

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Mr. BEGICH. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of my bill, H.R. 5131, the Public Lands Military Readiness Act of 2025. This is a bipartisan, commonsense measure that ensures our Armed Forces retain access to some of the most essential training lands in the United States.

For decades, public lands in Alaska, New Mexico, and California have been withdrawn from military use under statute. These withdrawals are not permanent, they must be renewed by Congress, and several of them are now scheduled to expire.

If Congress fails to act, then critical training areas at Fort Wainwright and Fort Greely in Alaska, the McGregor Range in New Mexico, and Fort Irwin in California would lose their legal status for military use.

H.R. 5131 solves that problem by extending these withdrawals for 25 more years and making necessary technical corrections to land descriptions to ensure accuracy and proper management.

In Alaska alone, this bill protects more than 850,000 acres of world- class training terrain used by the 11th Airborne Division, the Army's only Arctic-designated division. These soldiers must train in extreme cold, remote, and challenging environments in order to be prepared for real-world missions in the high north. There is simply no substitute for the terrain and conditions Alaska provides.

This legislation does not expand the military footprint or limit public access beyond what is already established. Importantly, this bill does not bypass environmental review. In fact, the military has engaged in robust consultation with Tribes, local communities, conservation groups, and stakeholders across Alaska, New Mexico, and California.

What this bill does is straightforward. It preserves readiness, strengthens national security, and upholds responsible stewardship of public lands, all while ensuring the continuity of training operations that our servicemembers rely on to stay prepared and to stay safe.

At a time when global threats are ever-present, particularly in the Arctic, Congress must ensure our military can train as they fight. H.R. 5131 accomplishes exactly that.

Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleagues on both sides of the aisle for their support, and I urge all Members to join me in voting ``yes'' on this important legislation.

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