United States 119th Congress Status: Passed House 3 R cosponsors

HR 197 — Lake Winnibigoshish Land Exchange Act of 2025

Last action — Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 218.

  1. ✓
    Introduced
  2. ✓
    In Committee
  3. 3
    Passed House
  4. 4
    Passed Senate
  5. 5
    To Executive
  6. 6
    Enacted

This bill has passed the House. Introduced January 03, 2025. It now moves to the second chamber.

Next likely step: consideration and a floor vote in the Senate.

Odds of enactment

Moderate chance

Based on the sponsor, cosponsors, and committee posture, this bill has a moderate chance of becoming law.

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A statistical estimate from our own model of past outcomes — an insight, not a guarantee. Policymaking is volatile.

Prognosis

Stalled 32% · moderate confidence

  • Passed House

    Current position in the legislative process.

  • 3 sponsors

    1 primary, 2 co-sponsors signed on.

  • Single-party support

    Sponsorship is currently within one party (3 R).

Based on stage, sponsorship breadth, committee status, recorded votes, and cross-state momentum — a description of the observable signals, not a prediction.

Summary

Lake Winnibigoshish Land Exchange Act of 2025This bill directs the Forest Service to exchange specified land along the shoreline of Lake Winnibigoshish (commonly known as Lake Winnie) in the Chippewa National Forest in Minnesota for specified land owned by Big Winnie Land and Timber, LLC (BWLT), if BWLT offers to make the exchange. The land acquired by the Forest Service must be added to and managed as part of Chippewa National Forest. The bill outlines requirements and conditions for the exchange. For example, the Forest Service must reserve an easement for road access to certain land in the forest. The bill also conditions the exchange on the satisfactory completion of a Phase I Environmental Site Assessment by BWLT before the nonfederal land is accepted in the exchange.In addition, the exchange must be for equal value or the values must be equalized by a cash payment, subject to an exception.Finally, the bill directs BWLT to pay all closing costs associated with the exchange.

Bill Text

What changed in the latest version

7 added · 5 removed

Plain-language change summary

The amended version of the bill includes an update indicating that it was reported in the Senate, while the previous version noted that it had been referred in the Senate after passing the House of Representatives. This change matters because it reflects a progression in the legislative process for the bill, indicating it has been formally considered by a Senate committee.

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Previous
Latest
197 Referred in Senate (RFS)] <DOC> 119th CONGRESS 1st Session H.
197 Reported in Senate (RS)] <DOC> Calendar No.
218 119th CONGRESS 1st Session H.
read twice and referred to the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry _______________________________________________________________________ AN ACT To provide for a land exchange in the Chippewa National Forest, Minnesota, and for other purposes.
read twice and referred to the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry October 27, 2025 Reported by Mr.
Boozman, without amendment _______________________________________________________________________ AN ACT To provide for a land exchange in the Chippewa National Forest, Minnesota, and for other purposes.
Passed the House of Representatives January 21, 2025.
Calendar No.
Attest:
218 119th CONGRESS 1st Session H.
KEVIN F.
R.
MCCUMBER, Clerk.
197 _______________________________________________________________________ AN ACT To provide for a land exchange in the Chippewa National Forest, Minnesota, and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________ October 27, 2025 Reported without amendment
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Action History

  1. Introduced in House

  2. Introduced in House

  3. Referred to the House Committee on Natural Resources.

  4. Mr. Westerman moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill.

  5. Considered under suspension of the rules. (consideration: CR H242-244)

  6. DEBATE - The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on H.R. 197.

  7. Passed/agreed to in House: On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill Agreed to by voice vote. (text: CR H242-243)

  8. On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill Agreed to by voice vote. (text: CR H242-243)

  9. Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.

  10. Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry.

  11. Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry. Ordered to be reported without amendment favorably.

  12. Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry. Reported by Senator Boozman without amendment. Without written report.

  13. Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry. Reported by Senator Boozman without amendment. Without written report.

  14. Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 218.

Sponsors

Sponsorship breakdown

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1 sponsors · 2 co-sponsors · 544 not signed on

Sponsors (1)

Co-sponsors (2)

Not signed on (544)

544 members have not signed on to this bill.

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"Not signed on" means a member has not sponsored or co-sponsored this bill — it does not imply opposition. Members flagged Voted No have a recorded No vote on this bill.

Whip count is in markup. Polling the chamber and every recorded vote this session. Only the first open is slow. It’s instant for you after this. Calling the roll · Tallying · Engrossing

Subjects

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Frequently asked questions

What does HR 197 do?
Lake Winnibigoshish Land Exchange Act of 2025This bill directs the Forest Service to exchange specified land along the shoreline of Lake Winnibigoshish (commonly known as Lake Winnie) in the Chippewa National Forest in Minnesota for specified land owned by Big Winnie Land and Timber, LLC (BWLT), if BWLT offers to make the exchange. The land acquired by the Forest Service must be added to and managed as part of Chippewa National Forest. The bill outlines requirements and conditions for the exchange. For example, the Forest Service must reserve an easement for road access to certain land in the forest. The bill also conditions the exchange on the satisfactory completion of a Phase I Environmental Site Assessment by BWLT before the nonfederal land is accepted in the exchange.In addition, the exchange must be for equal value or the values must be equalized by a cash payment, subject to an exception.Finally, the bill directs BWLT to pay all closing costs associated with the exchange.
Who sponsors HR 197?
HR 197 is sponsored by Finstad, Brad (Republican), Fischbach, Michelle (Republican), and Stauber, Pete (Republican).
What is the current status of HR 197?
This bill has passed the House. Introduced January 03, 2025. It now moves to the second chamber.
Where can I track HR 197?
Track HR 197 free on One Click Politics — get push/email alerts when it moves.

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