{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://downing.house.gov/media/press-releases/downing-daines-sheehy-introduce-bill-increase-access-public-lands-improve", "Downing, Daines, Sheehy Introduce Bill to Increase Access to Public Lands, Improve Forest Management", "2025-12-18", "2025", "2025-12", "Republican", "House", "MT", "Troy Downing", "D000634", "downing.house.gov", "downing", "https://downing.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "Congressman Troy Downing (MT-02), alongside U.S. Senators Steve Daines and Tim Sheehy, introduced the \u201cMontana Sportsmen Conservation Act.\u201d The bill returns three Wilderness Study Areas (WSA) to general management. Each WSA is recommended for release by their respective agency\u2019s land and resource management plan revisions and retains certain protections for these WSA\u2019s while providing more flexibility for land managers to mitigate wildfire risk, restore wildlife habitat, and increase sportsmen access.\n\n\u201cLand management must be fit for purpose, and the science shows that the Hoodoo Mountain, Wales Creek, and Middle Fork Judith Wilderness Study Areas would be better served without their WSA designations. I\u2019m proud to lead the effort in the House to return these lands to general management, unlocking public access and breaking down barriers preventing effective stewardship. I look forward to working with Senators Daines and Sheehy to get this commonsense measure across the finish line,\u201d said Downing.\n\n\u201cAs a lifelong sportsman, increasing access to Montana\u2019s great outdoors is one of my top priorities. The \u2018Montana Sportsmen Conservation Act\u2019 promotes our outdoor way of life by returning restrictive WSA\u2019s to general public land management, which will improve wildlife habitat restoration, reduce the risk of catastrophic wildfires, and unlock better access to public lands. I look forward to working with Senator Sheehy, Representative Zinke, and Representative Downing to get this bill across the finish line,\u201d said Daines.\n\n\u201cIncreasing access to our public lands and conserving the open spaces that we all enjoy, define our way of life, and create our shared heritage is something we can all agree on, and that\u2019s exactly what the Montana Sportsmen Conservation Act delivers. Working to combat wildfire risk, better steward our lands, improve wildlife habitat, and continue to protect our right to hunt, fish, and recreate on our public lands is Montana common sense, and I\u2019m proud to stand with Senator Daines in this critical mission,\u201d said Sheehy.\n\nRead the bill text HERE.\n\nBackground:\n\nThe three Wilderness Study Areas Daines\u2019 bill would return to general public land management are the Middle Fork Judith WSA, the Hoodoo Mountain WSA, and the Wales Creek WSA.\n\nThe bill has garnered support across the state- read letters of support below.\n\nJudith Basin County Commissioners\n\nPowell County Commissioners\n\nMontana Sportsmen for Fish and Wildlife\n\nMontana Farm Bureau Federation\n\nGreat Falls Bicycle Club\n\nMontana Outfitters and Guides Association\n\nThis bill is also supported by Montana Logging Association and Montana Snowmobiles Association.\n\n###", 1, "2026-04-04T05:28:40Z", "2026-04-04T05:30:10Z"]], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "primary_key_values": ["https://downing.house.gov/media/press-releases/downing-daines-sheehy-introduce-bill-increase-access-public-lands-improve"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 1.655873842537403, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}