General
Throughout April, Congress remained focused on funding, reconciliation, nominations, and oversight hearings tied to the administration’s FY27 budget request. Last Thursday, lawmakers officially ended the 76-day partial shutdown, affecting the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) operations. Cabinet secretaries and agency leadership appeared before Congress for budget hearings defending the President’s Fiscal Year 2027 Budget Request. Department of the Interior Secretary Doug Burgum, U.S. Forest Service (USFS) Chief Tom Schultz, and other top political appointees defended the Whitehouse’s proposed funding levels and answered a range of questions from Congress on developments in the USFS, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS), Bureau of Land Management (BLM), and other agencies. At the same time, FY27 appropriations work is already underway, with four of the twelve annual appropriations bills having cleared the House Appropriations Committee and expected to advance to the House floor in the coming weeks.
Boundary Waters
On April 16, the Senate passed H.J.Res. 140 by a narrow 49–50 vote after debate stretched late into the night and resumed the following morning ahead of final passage. On April 27, 2026, the resolution was signed by President Trump becoming law. The resolution overturns the mineral withdrawal in the Rainy River watershed upstream of the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness and clears the way for proposed copper-sulfide mining by Twin Metals Minnesota, a subsidiary of the Chilean mining company Antofagasta. Republican Senators Thom Tillis and Susan Collins broke with their party to oppose the resolution.
Over the course of roughly three months, BHA and our partners mounted an extensive advocacy effort to defend the Boundary Waters and highlight the risks this project poses to clean water, fish and wildlife habitat, and the outdoor traditions that support local communities and sportsmen and women across the country. BHA members delivered 43,864 messages to congressional offices, sent 824,535 emails across BHA’s network, made 2.13 million social media impressions, delivered a petition with 1,000+ signatures opposing H.J. Res140 letter from Pheasant Fest & Quail Classic to Senator Tina Smith’s office, and coordinated chapter leaders from seven states to directly lobby Senate offices in Washington, D.C.
BHA also worked closely with Sportsmen for the Boundary Waters, Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership, National Wildlife Federation, Trout Unlimited, and many other conservation and hunting and fishing groups throughout the fight. While the vote outcome was disappointing, the effort demonstrated the broad, bipartisan coalition of hunters, anglers, conservationists, and local advocates willing to stand up for the Boundary Waters and America’s public lands legacy.
Roadless Rule
There were no major public developments on the Roadless Rule in April, but the issue remains a top priority for BHA. The proposed rule is still under review at the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs (OIRA) ahead of release of a Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS), which is expected to evaluate either a blanket rescission of the 2001 Roadless Rule or additional alternatives affecting Wildland-Urban Interface areas or previously roaded portions of inventoried roadless areas. The current rule conserves roughly 58.5 million acres of roadless national forest lands across 39 states. While the release timeline remains unclear, the proposal could be released at any time this May or potentially slip into June.
Throughout April, BHA continued direct lobbying and coalition engagement on the issue alongside partners. BHA will continue tracking the process closely and notify members when the public comment period opens. To submit your story on the importance of the Roadless Rule, click here.
DC Fly-In
In April, BHA brought chapter leaders and staff from across the country to Washington, D.C. for a multi-day fly-in focused on some of the top priorities for America’s hunters and anglers. Advocacy efforts centered on reauthorization of the Legacy Restoration Fund, protecting the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF), the nation’s premier tool for expanding and improving public access, preventing public land sales in future reconciliation bills, defending the Roadless Rule, and advancing wildlife crossings and migration corridor conservation.
The fly-in included 17 BHA representatives from 15 different states who participated in more than 80 meetings with congressional offices. Attendees also participated in four separate policy and coalition events throughout the week. BHA additionally hosted its first-ever Wild Game Reception, which drew bipartisan attendance from Capitol Hill staff as well as representatives from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration, and the Department of the Interior. Gabe Vasquez, co-chair and cofounder of the Congressional Public Lands Caucus, spoke at the reception and highlighted the importance of conserving America’s public lands and waters for future generations.
Reconcilliation 2.0
On April 30, Congress officially advanced work on a second reconciliation package focused largely on immigration and border enforcement funding. While details are still being negotiated, BHA is continuing to monitor the process for any provisions that could impact public lands. Senate leaders are expected to begin a series of amendment votes, known as a “vote-a-rama,” later in May as lawmakers work toward the administration’s goal of finalizing a package by June 1. BHA has been actively lobbying in support of legislation introduced by Michael Bennet that would prevent future public land sales from being fast-tracked through the budget reconciliation process with a simple majority vote.
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