text: SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
  
      This Act may be cited as the ``Monuments Protection Act''.
  
  SEC. 2. FINDINGS.
  
      Congress finds that--
              (1) public land in the United States is managed and 
          administered for the use and enjoyment of present and future 
          generations;
              (2) the National Park System (including National Parks, 
          National Monuments, and National Recreation Areas) is managed 
          for the benefit and inspiration of all the people of the United 
          States;
              (3) the National Wildlife Refuge System is administered for 
          the benefit of present and future generations of people in the 
          United States, with priority consideration for compatible 
          wildlife-dependent general public uses of the National Wildlife 
          Refuge System;
              (4) the National Forest System is dedicated to the long-
          term benefit of present and future generations;
              (5) the reopening and temporary operation and management of 
          public land, the National Park System, the National Wildlife 
          Refuge System, and the National Forest System using funds from 
          States and political subdivisions of States during periods in 
          which the Federal Government is unable to operate and manage 
          the areas at normal levels due to a lapse in appropriations is 
          consistent with the values and purposes for which those areas 
          were established;
              (6) any restriction of public access to national monuments, 
          the National Park System, or the National Wildlife Refuge 
          System during a lapse in appropriations, when such restriction 
          is not necessary to comply with budgetary constraints and when 
          an agency has not taken steps to mitigate restrictions on 
          public access, shall be considered a direct violation of the 
          purpose for which these lands and monuments were established 
          and entrusted to Federal agencies for management; and
              (7) Federal agencies that serve as the management agency of 
          national monuments, the National Park System, or the National 
          Wildlife Refuge System have been entrusted with such properties 
          to maintain and prioritize public access, including during a 
          lapse in appropriations.
  
  SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS.
  
      In this Act:
              (1) Covered unit.--The term ``covered unit'' means--
                      (A) public lands;
                      (B) units of the National Park System;
                      (C) units of the National Wildlife Refuge System;
                      (D) federally owned open air monuments and 
                  memorials;
                      (E) units of the National Forest System; and
                      (F) federally owned roads and off ramps on land 
                  described in subparagraphs (A) through (E).
              (2) Public land.--The term ``public lands'' has the meaning 
          given that term in section 103 of the Federal Land Policy and 
          Management Act of 1976 (43 U.S.C. 1702).
              (3) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means--
                      (A) the Secretary of the Interior, with respect to 
                  land under the jurisdiction of the Secretary of the 
                  Interior; or
                      (B) the Secretary of Agriculture, with respect to 
                  land under the jurisdiction of the Secretary of 
                  Agriculture.
              (4) Eligible entity.--The term ``eligible entity'' means 
          the several States, the District of Columbia, federally 
          recognized Indian tribes, and territories and possessions of 
          the United States, and political subdivisions of thereof.
  
  SEC. 4. AGREEMENT TO OPERATE AND MANAGE COVERED UNIT DURING GOVERNMENT 
                SHUTDOWN.
  
      (a) In General.--Not later than 6 months after an eligible entity 
  offers to enter into an agreement under this section, the Secretary 
  shall enter into an agreement with that eligible entity under which the 
  eligible entity shall assume, in whole or in part, activities to resume 
  or continue operations and public access to any covered unit during any 
  period when those activities would not otherwise be carried out because 
  there is--
              (1) a lapse in available Federal funds for all or part of 
          the covered unit as a result of a failure to enact a regular 
          appropriations bill or continuing resolution; or
              (2) insufficient Federal funds to operate all or part of 
          the covered unit as a result of a failure of the Federal 
          Government to make sufficient funds available for this purpose.
      (b) Conditions.--Agreements entered into under this section--
              (1) shall only apply to a covered unit within the 
          boundaries of the eligible entity that is a party to the 
          agreement;
              (2) may apply to all or part of a covered unit;
              (3) shall be for a term of not more than 5 years, unless 
          the 5-year term would expire during a period when the agreement 
          is being actively implemented, in which case the agreement 
          shall expire at the conclusion of the lapse of funding (and 
          related reimbursement) which precipitated the implementation; 
          and
              (4) shall be in effect only during any period in which the 
          Secretary is unable to operate and manage covered units at 
          normal levels, as determined in accordance with the terms of 
          agreement entered into under subsection (a).
      (c) Copies of Agreements.--A copy of each agreement entered into 
  under this section shall be--
              (1) kept by the Secretary, the eligible entity, and any 
          other appropriate agency; and
              (2) available for inspection by Congress.
      (d) Reimbursement.--To the extent that funds are made available, 
  through Acts of appropriation or otherwise, for activities carried out 
  by an eligible entity under an agreement entered into under this 
  section, the Secretary shall reimburse the eligible entity for costs 
  expended by the eligible entity to carry out those activities.
  
  SEC. 5. EXCEPTION.
  
      Notwithstanding section 4, the Secretary may restrict access to any 
  covered unit for reasons of national security.
  
  SEC. 6. REPORT.
  
      For any instance in which the Secretary does not enter into an 
  agreement after an offer under section 4, the Secretary shall submit to 
  the Committee on Natural Resources of the House of Representatives and 
  the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources of the Senate a report 
  stating--
              (1) that an offer was made;
              (2) what eligible entity made the offer;
              (3) what the offer entailed; and
              (4) why the Secretary did not enter into an agreement 
          pursuant to that offer.
target: Monuments Protection Act  Directs the Departments of the Interior and Agriculture to enter into an agreement with a state, the District of Columbia, a federally recognized Indian tribe, a U.S. territory or possession, or a political subdivision of such an entity that offers to assume activities to resume or continue operations and public access to any covered unit during any period when those activities would not otherwise be carried out because: (1) there is a lapse in available federal funds as a result of a failure to enact a regular appropriations bill or continuing resolution, or (2) there are insufficient federal funds to operate such unit as a result of a failure of the federal government to make sufficient funds available.  Defines a &quot;covered unit&quot; to mean:  public lands, units of the National Park System, units of the National Wildlife Refuge System, federally owned open air monuments and memorials, units of the National Forest System, and  federally owned roads and off ramps on all such lands.   Requires Interior and USDA to reimburse such an entity once funds are made available for activities carried out by such entity.
feat_title: Monuments Protection Act