Land of the Free Act of 2025

House Bill

H.R. 4959

119th Congress

Land of the Free Act of 2025

In Committee

Introduced:Aug 12, 2025

Primary Sponsor

Deborah Koff Ross

Representative

Democratic

NC-2

Cosponsors

2

Quick Stats

Policy Area

Water Resources Development

Summary

This bill directs the Government Accountability Office to investigate the status of dams in watershed programs across the country, including their structural conditions, environmental compliance, and whether they have exceeded their expected lifespan. The goal is to provide a comprehensive report on the state of these dams to inform future policy decisions.

Latest Action

Referred to the Subcommittee on Conservation, Research, and Biotechnology.

AI Summary

Plain-English explanation of this bill

This bill directs the Government Accountability Office to investigate the status of dams in watershed programs across the country, including their structural conditions, environmental compliance, and whether they have exceeded their expected lifespan. The goal is to provide a comprehensive report on the state of these dams to inform future policy decisions.

Last updated: 12/30/2025

Official Summary

Congressional Research Service summary

<p>This bill directs the Government Accountability Office (GAO) to report on dams in watershed programs of the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS). Specifically, GAO must report on dams that receive assistance under (1) the Watershed Protection and Flood Prevention Act, (2) the Act of December 22, 1944, (3) the Pilot Watershed Program, and (4) the Resource Conservation and Development program. The report must include the status of the dams, including information related to</p><ul><li>the location, ownership, and structural conditions of the dams;</li><li>their compliance with certain environmental requirements;</li><li>their hazard classification assessments; and</li><li>whether the dams have exceeded their life expectancies.</li></ul>

Key Points

Main provisions of the bill

The bill requires the GAO to report on the location, ownership, and structural condition of dams in watershed programs.
The report must also cover the dams' compliance with environmental requirements and their hazard classification assessments.
The report will identify dams that have exceeded their expected lifespan, which could inform decisions about repairs or replacements.

How This Impacts Americans

Potential effects on citizens and communities

If this bill becomes law, it would affect communities that rely on dams in watershed programs for water management, flood control, and other purposes. The GAO report could lead to increased funding or policy changes to address aging or unsafe dams, which would impact local residents and the environment.

Policy Areas

Primary Policy Area

Water Resources Development

Related Subjects

Congressional oversight

Dams and canals

Environmental assessment, monitoring, research

Infrastructure development

Watersheds

Scope & Jurisdiction

Jurisdiction Level

federal

Congressional Session

119th Congress

Citation Reference

4959, 119th Congress (2025). "Land of the Free Act of 2025". Source: Voter's Right Platform. https://votersright.org/bills/118-hr-4959