[Congressional Record Volume 171, Number 82 (Thursday, May 15, 2025)]
[Senate]
[Page S2953]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Mr. PADILLA:
  S. 1777. A bill to amend the California Desert Protection Act of 1994 
to expand the boundary of Joshua Tree National Park, to redesignate the 
Cottonwood Visitor Center at Joshua Tree National Park as the ``Dianne 
Feinstein Visitor Center'', and for other purposes; to the Committee on 
Energy and Natural Resources.
  Mr. PADILLA. Mr. President, I rise today to introduce the Joshua Tree 
National Park Expansion Act, which would do two things: expand the 
boundary of Joshua Tree National Park by 20,000 acres and rename the 
Cottonwood Visitor Center at Joshua Tree in honor of the late Senator 
Dianne Feinstein.
  In 2016, the National Park Service, in cooperation with the Bureau of 
Land Management, prepared the Eagle Mountain Boundary Study for an area 
within the Eagle Mountains, located in Riverside County, CA. The 
purpose of the study and environmental assessment was to consider 
whether to expand Joshua Tree National Park to include additional 
lands, and to develop alternatives for protecting cultural, natural, 
and scenic resources related to the purpose of the National Park.
  NPS' selected alternative recommends expanding the National Park by 
the more than 20,000 acres of federally managed lands covered by my 
legislation. Notably, these lands are adjacent to the National Park. 
NPS found that doing so could allow for greater protection of existing 
habitat, restoration opportunities, and landscape connectivity for 
wildlife such as bighorn sheep, as well as new visitor opportunities.
  In addition to the expansion of the park, this bill would celebrate 
Senator Feinstein's historic legacy of protecting the California 
desert--including the creation of Joshua Tree National Park itself--by 
renaming a visitor center at Joshua Tree National Park in her honor.
  Senator Feinstein was known as a great protector of the California 
desert, and some have lovingly referred to her as the ``Queen of the 
Desert.'' Senator Feinstein was the driving force behind the 
establishment of Joshua Tree National Park, Death Valley National Park, 
the Mojave National Preserve, the Santa Rosa and San Jacinto Mountains 
National Monument, the Mojave Trails National Monument, the Sand to 
Snow National Monument, and the Castle Mountains National Monument. In 
all, it is estimated that Senator Feinstein protected over 3 million 
acres of the California desert.
  In 2019, on the 25th anniversary of the passage of Senator 
Feinstein's landmark ``California Desert Protection Act,'' Senator 
Feinstein wrote: ``When I think of the California desert, I think of 
magnificent landscapes and mountain vistas. I think of beautiful 
species like bighorn sheep, mule deer and desert tortoises. I think of 
unique vegetation like the beautiful wildflower blooms and iconic 
Joshua trees. And I think of the long history of local Native American 
tribes. The California desert is a true American treasure. Our efforts 
over the past 25 years have resulted in the largest areas of public 
lands protected in the lower 48 states--that is something truly to 
celebrate.''
  I look forward to working with my colleagues to enact this 
legislation as soon as possible.
                                 ______