Bill · H.R. 4284· House(119-HR-4284)
Small Cemetery Conveyance Act
- Introduced
- 7/2/2025
- Last activity
- 3/17/2026 — Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry.
- Sponsored by
- Teresa Leger Fernandez
- Cosponsors
- - 0 - 1
- Introduced
- Passed House
- In Senate committee
What this bill would do
The Small Cemetery Conveyance Act amends the Small Tract Act of 1983. It authorizes the Secretary of Agriculture to convey certain parcels of land to qualified persons without consideration. These parcels must be used or previously used as cemeteries, which can include an adjacent parcel of up to 1 acre. The conveyance is conditional, meaning the land can only be used for operating a cemetery. If the land is used for any other purpose, the Secretary has the discretion to take the land and any improvements back.
Yes
Would Native Americans be better off under this?+5
The bill explicitly includes Indian Tribes as qualified persons for land conveyance.
Does this better protect public land such as parks and forests?+5
The bill facilitates the transfer of specific land parcels to local entities for cemetery use.
Does this leave more decisions to the states?+3
The bill enables the transfer of land to state and local governments.
The opposite
Does this give the federal government more power?-2
The bill maintains federal oversight by allowing the Secretary to reclaim land if use conditions are violated.
Who it would affect, and how
Potential Positive Impacts for People
-
Land Transfer without Cost: The Secretary can convey land to a qualified person without consideration, which provides the land for free (Section 2(a)(1)(C) and Section 9(a)).
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Support for Communities and Tribes: The bill allows for the conveyance of land to State or local governments, Indian Tribes, or qualified land grant-merced that have a bona fide interest or historic claim to a cemetery (Section 9(e)(4)).
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Flexible Land Use Definitions: The definition of a cemetery includes natural or prepared physical locations used for death rites, common burying grounds, or those determined to be a cemetery by an Indian Tribe (Section 9(e)(1)).
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Reduced Administrative Burdens: The Secretary has the authority to waive certain conveyance requirements based on the demonstrated need of the qualified person (Section 9(d)(1)).
Potential Negative Impacts for People
-
Risk of Land Loss: If a person or group uses the conveyed land for any purpose other than operating a cemetery, the Secretary can decide that all right, title, and interest in the land and its improvements must revert to the United States (Section 9(c)).
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Strict Land Use Limitations: The conveyance is subject to the strict condition that the property may only be used for the purpose of operating a cemetery (Section 9(b)).
Groups and Interests Ranking
Every group the model scored this bill for, from -10 to +10. Hover a score for the reason it gave.
- Demographic And Interest Groups
- Good For Native Americans+5
- Environment Energy And Infrastructure
- Improves Public Land Management+5
- Governance And Ideology
- Increase States Rights+3Increases Federal Power-2
- 3/17/2026
- Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry.
- 3/16/2026
- Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
- Passed/agreed to in House: On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by voice vote. (text: CR H2510)
- On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by voice vote. (text: CR H2510)
- DEBATE - The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on H.R. 4284.
- Considered under suspension of the rules. (consideration: CR H2510-2511)
- Mr. Westerman moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended.
- 1/14/2026
- Reported by the Committee on Natural Resources. H. Rept. 119-454, Part I.
- Committee on Agriculture discharged.
- Placed on the Union Calendar, Calendar No. 389.
- 12/17/2025
- Subcommittee on Federal Lands Discharged
- Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held
- Ordered to be Reported by Unanimous Consent.
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- 9/18/2025
- Subcommittee Hearings Held
- 9/11/2025
- Referred to the Subcommittee on Federal Lands.
- 7/2/2025
- Referred to the Committee on Natural Resources, and in addition to the Committee on Agriculture, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
- Introduced in House
Jeff HurdRepublican · Colorado