THE DON-ument Act

This bill would create the Southern Border Wall National Monument across parts of California, Arizona, New Mexico, and Texas. Its goal is to protect the existing southern border wall from being changed or removed. The monument would cover about 289,920 acres, including sections of the wall and nearby lands shown on a map kept by the Bureau of Land Management. The Secretary of the Interior, through the BLM, would manage the site and set up agreements with other federal agencies and Tribal governments where the wall runs through their lands. A general management plan must be finished within three years after funding is provided.

Key points

• Who is affected: Border communities in CA, AZ, NM, and TX; federal land managers; Tribal governments with land along the monument.
• What changes: The wall and nearby lands become a national monument to prevent alteration; BLM takes lead on management; a map is kept on file for public viewing.
• When: Monument status would begin once the bill becomes law; the management plan is due within three years after funds are made available.