Rep. Gosar introduces bill in U.S. House to reserve land for military use

The new bill authored by U.S. Rep. Paul A. Gosar in the U.S. House aims to reserve public land near Yuma Proving Ground for military readiness and security, according to the U.S. Congress.

H.R.8686 was introduced on May 7, 2026 during the 2026 regular session of the 119th Congress. The following is our breakdown, based on the actual bill text, and may include interpretation to clarify its provisions.

In essence, this bill amends the Military Land Withdrawals Act of 2013 to withdraw approximately 21,782 acres of public land near Yuma Proving Ground in Arizona for military use. The land is reserved to support military readiness and security and is exempt from entry, mining, and mineral leasing laws. The Secretary of the Army will manage the reserved land according to federal laws, while allowing certain nondefense activities like wildlife conservation, cultural property preservation, and public recreation under specified conditions. The bill also provides for utility rights-of-way in designated areas without requiring consent from the Army, ensuring infrastructure development aligns with military operations. The land withdrawal will remain in effect indefinitely or until a military need no longer exists.

The bill was introduced only by Rep. Paul A. Gosar (Republican-AZ-9th District).

Since the beginning of the current session, Rep. Gosar has introduced another 22 bills, with one of them being adopted.

Congressional bills can originate in either the U.S. House of Representatives or the U.S. Senate, except for revenue-related measures, which must begin in the House. After introduction, bills are assigned to committees for review, hearings, amendments and debate before they can advance to a vote in each chamber. If both chambers approve identical versions, the legislation is sent to the president, who may sign it into law or veto it. Congress operates in two-year terms, with each term numbered sequentially and divided into two annual sessions. The legislative process and official bill records are maintained by the U.S. Congress and published through Congress.gov.

Paul Gosar is a Representative from Arizona, having been elected as a Republican to the One Hundred Twelfth and the seven succeeding Congresses since January 3, 2011. He holds a B.S. and a D.D.S. from Creighton University, graduating in 1981 and 1985, respectively.

Information in this article was obtained from the U.S. Congress. The source data can be found here.