Benton MacKaye National Scenic Trail Feasibility Study Act of 2026
USA119th CongressHR-2768| House
| Updated: 6/3/2026
Charles J. "Chuck" Fleischmann
Republican Representative
Tennessee
Natural Resources Committee
- Introduced
- In Committee
- On Floor
- Passed Chamber
- Enacted
This legislation mandates the Secretary of Agriculture to undertake a comprehensive study to assess the viability of officially designating the Benton MacKaye Trail as a national scenic trail under the National Trails System Act. This directive is an amendment to Section 5(c) of the National Trails System Act. The Benton MacKaye Trail is a 287-mile nonmotorized path that winds through scenic forests and mountains in Georgia, Tennessee, and North Carolina, including parts of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park and several Wilderness Areas. Congress finds the trail offers diverse recreational opportunities, supports local economies, and is largely maintained on federal land by the Benton MacKaye Trail Association. The Secretary of Agriculture is required to complete this feasibility study within one year of the bill's enactment, consulting with relevant organizations, and then submit the findings to Congress.
Suggested Questions
Get AI-generated questions to help you understand this bill better
Timeline
Bill from Previous Congress
HR 118-8403Benton MacKaye National Scenic Trail Feasibility Study Act of 2024
Introduced in House
Referred to the House Committee on Natural Resources.
Latest Companion Bill Action
S 119-1376Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry. Reported by Senator Boozman without amendment. Without written report.
Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held
Ordered to be Reported in the Nature of a Substitute (Amended) by Unanimous Consent.
Placed on the Union Calendar, Calendar No. 502.
Reported (Amended) by the Committee on Natural Resources. H. Rept. 119-582.
Mr. Westerman moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended.
Considered under suspension of the rules. (consideration: CR H3749-3751)
Considered under suspension of the rules.
DEBATE - The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on H.R. 2768.
Passed/agreed to in House: On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by voice vote. (text: CR H3749-3750)
Passed/agreed to in House: On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by voice vote.
On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by voice vote. (text: CR H3749-3750)
On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by voice vote.
Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
Received in the Senate. Read twice. Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 426.
Public Lands and Natural Resources
Congressional oversightGeorgiaGovernment studies and investigationsNorth CarolinaParks, recreation areas, trailsTennessee
Benton MacKaye National Scenic Trail Feasibility Study Act of 2026
USA119th CongressHR-2768| House
| Updated: 6/3/2026
This legislation mandates the Secretary of Agriculture to undertake a comprehensive study to assess the viability of officially designating the Benton MacKaye Trail as a national scenic trail under the National Trails System Act. This directive is an amendment to Section 5(c) of the National Trails System Act. The Benton MacKaye Trail is a 287-mile nonmotorized path that winds through scenic forests and mountains in Georgia, Tennessee, and North Carolina, including parts of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park and several Wilderness Areas. Congress finds the trail offers diverse recreational opportunities, supports local economies, and is largely maintained on federal land by the Benton MacKaye Trail Association. The Secretary of Agriculture is required to complete this feasibility study within one year of the bill's enactment, consulting with relevant organizations, and then submit the findings to Congress.
Suggested Questions
Get AI-generated questions to help you understand this bill better
Timeline
Bill from Previous Congress
HR 118-8403Benton MacKaye National Scenic Trail Feasibility Study Act of 2024
Introduced in House
Referred to the House Committee on Natural Resources.
Latest Companion Bill Action
S 119-1376Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry. Reported by Senator Boozman without amendment. Without written report.
Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held
Ordered to be Reported in the Nature of a Substitute (Amended) by Unanimous Consent.
Placed on the Union Calendar, Calendar No. 502.
Reported (Amended) by the Committee on Natural Resources. H. Rept. 119-582.
Mr. Westerman moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended.
Considered under suspension of the rules. (consideration: CR H3749-3751)
Considered under suspension of the rules.
DEBATE - The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on H.R. 2768.
Passed/agreed to in House: On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by voice vote. (text: CR H3749-3750)
Passed/agreed to in House: On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by voice vote.
On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by voice vote. (text: CR H3749-3750)
On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by voice vote.
Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
Received in the Senate. Read twice. Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 426.
Charles J. "Chuck" Fleischmann
Republican Representative
Tennessee
Natural Resources Committee
Public Lands and Natural Resources
- Introduced
- In Committee
- On Floor
- Passed Chamber
- Enacted
Congressional oversightGeorgiaGovernment studies and investigationsNorth CarolinaParks, recreation areas, trailsTennessee