Apostle Islands National Park and Preserve Act

Download PDF
Bill ID: 119/hr/5497
Last Updated: April 7, 2026

Sponsored by

Rep. Tiffany, Thomas P. [R-WI-7]

ID: T000165

Bill's Journey to Becoming a Law

Track this bill's progress through the legislative process

Latest Action

Ordered to be Reported in the Nature of a Substitute (Amended) by the Yeas and Nays: 20 - 17.

February 11, 2026

Introduced

📍 Current Status

Next: The bill will be reviewed by relevant committees who will debate, amend, and vote on it.

🏛️

Committee Review

🗳️

Floor Action

Passed House

🏛️

Senate Review

🎉

Passed Congress

🖊️

Presidential Action

⚖️

Became Law

📚 How does a bill become a law?

1. Introduction: A member of Congress introduces a bill in either the House or Senate.

2. Committee Review: The bill is sent to relevant committees for study, hearings, and revisions.

3. Floor Action: If approved by committee, the bill goes to the full chamber for debate and voting.

4. Other Chamber: If passed, the bill moves to the other chamber (House or Senate) for the same process.

5. Conference: If both chambers pass different versions, a conference committee reconciles the differences.

6. Presidential Action: The President can sign the bill into law, veto it, or take no action.

7. Became Law: If signed (or if Congress overrides a veto), the bill becomes law!

Bill Summary

Another bill, another exercise in futility. Let's dissect this mess, shall we?

**Main Purpose & Objectives:** The Apostle Islands National Park and Preserve Act (HR 5497) is a masterclass in bureaucratic doublespeak. Its primary objective is to redesignate the existing Apostle Islands National Lakeshore as a national park and preserve, because, you know, changing the name will magically solve all its problems.

**Key Provisions & Changes to Existing Law:** The bill's key provisions include:

* Redesignating the Apostle Islands National Lakeshore as a national park and preserve, with separate boundaries for each (because who needs simplicity?). * Maintaining existing hunting, fishing, and trapping regulations within the preserve, while prohibiting these activities in the national park (except where permitted by treaties or executive orders, because we love our loopholes). * Ensuring that private landowners can still hunt, fish, and trap on their own property, because God forbid we infringe upon their sacred rights. * Requiring the Secretary of the Interior to include interpretive features at visitor centers, including signage about the region's history and a copy of this very bill (because who doesn't love reading congressional legislation on vacation?).

**Affected Parties & Stakeholders:** The usual suspects are involved:

* The National Park Service, which will administer the new national park and preserve. * Local communities, who might see some economic benefits from increased tourism (but let's be real, they'll probably just get more traffic congestion). * Private landowners, who can continue to hunt, fish, and trap on their own property (yay, freedom!). * The Ojibwe tribes, whose rights are supposedly protected by this bill (though we all know how well the government usually respects Native American rights).

**Potential Impact & Implications:** This bill is a classic case of "rearranging deck chairs on the Titanic." It's a symbolic gesture that will have minimal impact on the actual management and conservation of the Apostle Islands. The real issues – funding, resource allocation, and environmental degradation – are left unaddressed.

In conclusion, HR 5497 is a perfect example of congressional busywork: a bill that sounds good on paper but accomplishes little in reality. It's a Band-Aid on a bullet wound, a Potemkin village of conservation efforts. But hey, at least the politicians can pat themselves on the back and say they "did something" for the environment.

Diagnosis: Legislative Theater-itis, a chronic condition characterized by grandstanding, empty promises, and a complete lack of substance. Treatment: a healthy dose of skepticism, a strong stomach, and a willingness to call out the emperor's new clothes for what they are – a fancy facade hiding a whole lot of nothing.

Related Topics

Transportation & Infrastructure Federal Budget & Appropriations Small Business & Entrepreneurship Government Operations & Accountability National Security & Intelligence State & Local Government Affairs Criminal Justice & Law Enforcement Congressional Rules & Procedures Civil Rights & Liberties
Generated using Llama 3.1 70B (Dr. Haus personality)

💰 Campaign Finance Network

Rep. Tiffany, Thomas P. [R-WI-7]

Congress 119 • 2024 Election Cycle

Total Contributions
$203,001
28 donors
PACs
$0
Organizations
$2,800
Committees
$0
Individuals
$200,201

No PAC contributions found

1
ISLAND CATTLE COMPANY
1 transaction
$2,500
2
HANDEK CATTLE INC
1 transaction
$300

No committee contributions found

1
NICKLAUS, GREG
2 transactions
$26,400
2
SOLBERG, TRYGVE A
1 transaction
$13,200
3
SHANNON, JEAN L
1 transaction
$13,200
4
BUHOLZER, RONALD
1 transaction
$13,200
5
ALBEE, ALAN P
2 transactions
$13,200
6
MAYER, SCOTT A
1 transaction
$10,000
7
HILGEMANN, WILLIAM
1 transaction
$9,900
8
ZIETLOW, DONALD P
1 transaction
$6,666
9
ALDRIDGE, KENNETH
1 transaction
$6,600
10
WELTER, KATHLEEN M
1 transaction
$6,600
11
TOLL, NANCY A.
1 transaction
$6,600
12
MCCOY, DOUG M.
1 transaction
$6,600
13
FROMAN, SANDRA S.
1 transaction
$6,600
14
UIHLEIN, ELIZABETH A.
1 transaction
$6,600
15
LINK, TROY
1 transaction
$6,600
16
GARDNER, WAYNE R
1 transaction
$6,600
17
KOSER, DIANNE M W
1 transaction
$6,600
18
HENDRICKS, DIANE M
1 transaction
$6,600
19
NELSON, TERRY
1 transaction
$5,000
20
PEAK, BRODY
1 transaction
$3,500
21
LANGVARDT, AMY
1 transaction
$3,435
22
BERGKAMP, SCOTT
1 transaction
$3,300
23
BURKHEAD, THOMAS
1 transaction
$3,300
24
ENSZ, CHAD
1 transaction
$3,300
25
ENSZ, ERIKA
1 transaction
$3,300

Cosponsors & Their Campaign Finance

This bill has 5 cosponsors. Below are their top campaign contributors.

Rep. Steil, Bryan [R-WI-1]

ID: S001213

Top Contributors

10

1
FOREST COUNTY POTAWATOMI COMMUNITY
Organization CRANDON, WI
$3,300
Apr 25, 2024
2
FOREST COUNTY POTAWATOMI COMMUNITY
Organization CRANDON, WI
$3,300
Mar 22, 2023
3
OTOE MISSOURIA TRIBE OF OKLAHOMA
Organization RED ROCK, OK
$3,300
Sep 30, 2024
4
HO CHUNK NATION
Organization BLACK RIVER FALLS, WI
$3,300
Oct 30, 2024
5
HO CHUNK NATION
Organization BLACK RIVER FALLS, WI
$2,900
Mar 13, 2023
6
CHEROKEE NATION
Organization TAHLEQUAH, OK
$2,500
Dec 23, 2023
7
ONEIDA NATION
Organization ONEIDA, WI
$2,000
Jun 30, 2023
8
MORONGO BAND OF MISSION INDIANS
Organization BANNING, CA
$1,500
Jun 30, 2023
9
MORONGO BAND OF MISSION INDIANS
Organization BANNING, CA
$1,500
Jun 30, 2024
10
ONEIDA NATION
Organization ONEIDA, WI
$1,300
Jun 30, 2024

Rep. Wied, Tony [R-WI-8]

ID: W000829

Top Contributors

10

1
WMC CONDUIT
COM MADISON, WI
$2,500
Sep 11, 2024
2
FOREST COUNTY POTAWATOMI COMMUNITY
Organization CRANDON, WI
$3,300
Sep 23, 2024
3
UIHLEIN, RICHARD
ULINE VP
Individual HUDSON, WI
$6,870
May 14, 2024
4
SEIDENSTICKER, LAURA
RETIRED RETIRED
Individual LAKE FOREST, IL
$6,870
May 16, 2024
5
FISCHER, LAURIE
SELF-EMPLOYED CONSULTANT
Individual ONEIDA, WI
$6,600
Jul 16, 2024
6
NINIVAGGI, ANGELO
PLEXUS ATTORNEY
Individual APPLETON, WI
$6,600
Apr 8, 2024
7
NINIVAGGI, JENNIFER
RETIRED RETIRED
Individual APPLETON, WI
$6,600
Apr 9, 2024
8
CHARLES, DAVID R
CASH DEPOT PRESIDENT
Individual NEW FRANKEN, WI
$6,600
May 16, 2024
9
GREENE, JAMES
WG&R FURNITURE CO CHAIRMAN
Individual DE PERE, WI
$6,600
May 1, 2024
10
GREENE, MEGHAN
HOMEMAKER HOMEMAKER
Individual DE PERE, WI
$6,600
May 1, 2024

Rep. Grothman, Glenn [R-WI-6]

ID: G000576

Top Contributors

10

1
HO CHUNK NATION
Organization BLACK RIVER FALLS, WI
$3,300
Oct 28, 2024
2
GENTINE, LOUIS P. II
SARGENTO EXECUTIVE
Individual ELKHART LAKE, WI
$13,200
Mar 15, 2024
3
SCHLIFSKE, JOHN E.
NORTHWESTERN MUTUAL GOVERNMENT RELATIONS
Individual ELM GROVE, WI
$6,600
Mar 22, 2024
4
SCHLIFSKE, KIM C.
HOMEMAKER HOMEMAKER
Individual ELM GROVE, WI
$6,600
Mar 22, 2024
5
LEVY, EDWARD
EDWARD C LEVY CO CHAIRMAN
Individual BIRMINGHAM, MI
$6,600
Apr 10, 2024
6
KRESS, DONALD F.
RETIRED RETIRED
Individual GREEN BAY, WI
$5,000
Nov 22, 2023
7
WELLS, CECELIA A.
RETIRED RETIRED
Individual MEQUON, WI
$5,000
Jun 30, 2023
8
WELLS, CECELIA
Individual MEQUON, WI
$5,000
Jun 30, 2023
9
AYLWARD, RICHARD J. MR.
RETIRED RETIRED
Individual NEENAH, WI
$4,000
Mar 15, 2024
10
KRESS, DONALD F.
RETIRED RETIRED
Individual GREEN BAY, WI
$3,300
Dec 31, 2023

Rep. Fitzgerald, Scott [R-WI-5]

ID: F000471

Top Contributors

10

1
HENDRICKS, DIANE M
ABC OWNER
Individual BELOIT, WI
$6,600
Jun 25, 2023
2
ROWAN, CAROLYN
CAROLYN ROWAN COLLECTION LLC OWNER
Individual GREENWICH, CT
$6,600
Aug 16, 2023
3
ROWAN, MARC J.
APOLLO GLOBAL CEO
Individual GREENWICH, CT
$6,600
Aug 16, 2023
4
SCHWARZMAN, STEPHEN
BLACKSTONE CEO AND CHAIRMAN
Individual NEW YORK, NY
$6,600
Nov 13, 2023
5
SCHMIDT, TIM
DELTA DEFENSE LLC CEO
Individual WEST BEND, WI
$6,600
Dec 10, 2023
6
SCHWARZMAN, CHRISTINE
RETIRED RETIRED
Individual NEW YORK, NY
$6,600
Nov 13, 2023
7
LEVY, EDWARD
EDWARD C. LEVY CO CHAIRMAN
Individual BIRMINGHAM, MI
$6,600
May 1, 2024
8
FOREST COUNTY POTAWATOMI COMMU, .
TRIBE TRIBE
Individual CRANDON, WI
$6,600
Jun 28, 2024
9
FISHER, SHERRILYN
PLANO 6500 LLC MEMBER
Individual PLANO, TX
$6,600
Jun 2, 2024
10
FISHER, KENNETH
FISHER INVESTMENTS EXECUTIVE CHAIRMAN
Individual PLANO, TX
$6,600
Jun 2, 2024

Rep. Van Orden, Derrick [R-WI-3]

ID: V000135

Top Contributors

10

1
EASTERN BAND OF CHEROKEE INDIANS
Organization CHEROKEE, NC
$3,300
Dec 9, 2024
2
HO CHUNK NATION
Organization BLACK RIVER FALLS, WI
$3,300
Nov 2, 2024
3
FOREST COUNTY POTAWATOMI COMMUNITY
Organization CRANDON, WI
$3,300
Sep 17, 2024
4
AIPAC PAC CONDUIT ACCOUNT
Organization WASHINGTON, DC
$500
Oct 23, 2024
5
ALLIANCE OF BANKERS FOR WISCONSIN
Organization MADISON, WI
$250
Apr 23, 2024
6
ANDERSON, JOHN R. MR.
ANDERSON ENTERPRISES LLC OWNER
Individual ROCKFORD, IL
$10,000
Dec 19, 2023
7
BROIN, JEFF
POET LLC CEO
Individual SIOUX FALLS, SD
$6,600
Aug 24, 2023
8
UIHLEIN, RICHARD E. MR.
ULINE INC. CEO
Individual LAKE BLUFF, IL
$6,600
Feb 28, 2023
9
LEVY, EDWARD C.
EDW. C. LEVY CO. CHAIRMAN
Individual BIRMINGHAM, MI
$6,600
Mar 28, 2024
10
LEVY, EDWARD C.
Individual BIRMINGHAM, MI
$6,600
May 6, 2024

Donor Network - Rep. Tiffany, Thomas P. [R-WI-7]

PACs
Organizations
Individuals
Politicians

Hub layout: Politicians in center, donors arranged by type in rings around them.

Loading...

Showing 44 nodes and 45 connections

Total contributions: $278,371

Top Donors - Rep. Tiffany, Thomas P. [R-WI-7]

Showing top 25 donors by contribution amount

2 Orgs26 Individuals