No FED in West Texas Act

119th Congress Introduced by Ted Cruz

The bill bars finalizing or enforcing the 2023 Muleshoe NWR Land Protection Plan or any substantially similar plan.

Introduced in Senate

Summary of Bill S.4412 (119th Congress, 2nd Session)

Purpose

The bill, titled the No FED in West Texas Act, aims to prohibit the implementation of a specific land protection plan for Muleshoe National Wildlife Refuge (NWR).

It seeks to block finalization, implementation, administration, or enforcement of the Land Protection Plan described in the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) document titled “Final Land Protection Plan & Environmental Assessment Muleshoe National Wildlife Refuge” dated February 2023, or any substantially similar plan.

Key Provisions

Section 2: Implementation Prohibited

The Secretary of the Interior may not finalize, implement, administer, or enforce the referenced Land Protection Plan for Muleshoe NWR.
The prohibition covers the exact document (Final Land Protection Plan & Environmental Assessment, Muleshoe NWR, February 2023) and any substantially similar land protection plan.

Section 1: Short Title

The act may be cited as the “No Federal Expansion Designation in West Texas Act” or the “No FED in West Texas Act.”

Affected Parties and Impacts

Government/Agency:

The U.S. Department of the Interior and the Fish and Wildlife Service would be prevented from moving forward with the specified land protection plan for Muleshoe NWR.

Public Lands/Conservation:

Any land-use protections, management changes, or designations proposed in the 2023 Land Protection Plan would not be adopted or enforced under this bill.

West Texas region:

Activities and land management decisions at Muleshoe NWR that would have resulted from the Land Protection Plan would be blocked, potentially influencing local conservation strategies, ecosystem management, and related regulatory actions.

Procedural and Timeline Aspects

Introduction and Referral:

Introduced in the Senate on April 28, 2026 by Senator Cruz (R-TX).
Referred to the Committee on Environment and Public Works.

Status:

Reading and referral events occurred on April 28, 2026; no further action detailed in the provided text.

Sponsor:

Co-sponsor: Senator Ted Cruz.

Practical Considerations

The bill would prevent adopting a formal plan that may have included environmental assessments and protected area designations as part of a Land Protection Plan for Muleshoe NWR.

If enacted, any ongoing or planned revisions to the Muleshoe NWR management that rely on the 2023 Land Protection Plan would require alternative authorization or planning outside the prohibited framework.

The bill’s narrow focus means it would not inherently alter other conservation programs, funding, or land protection plans beyond the specified Muleshoe NWR document or substantially similar plans.

Note

The provided text covers only Section 2’s prohibition and the short title. No additional fiscal, regulatory, or broader policy impacts are described in the excerpt.