The bill
Apostle Islands National Park and Preserve Act
HR. 5497, 119th Congress.
Sponsored by
Rep. Tiffany, Thomas P. [R-WI-7]
ID: T000165
Follow the money
The bill
HR. 5497, 119th Congress.
The sponsor
Every bill has someone who introduced it. That name is where the paper trail starts.
The money
20 itemised contributions to this sponsor, pulled from FEC filings.
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 10, 2026
📍 Current Status
Next: The bill will be reviewed by relevant committees who will debate, amend, and vote on it.
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!
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.
Rep. Tiffany, Thomas P. [R-WI-7]
Congress 119 • 2024 Election Cycle
No PAC contributions found
No organization contributions found
No committee contributions found
This bill has 5 cosponsors. Below are their top campaign contributors.
ID: S001213
Top Contributors
10
ID: W000829
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ID: G000576
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ID: F000471
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ID: V000135
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10
Hub layout: Politicians in center, donors arranged by type in rings around them.
Showing 39 nodes and 35 connections (25 secondary connections hidden)
Total contributions: $247,136
Showing top 18 donors by contribution amount