Bruce Westerman in the 119th Congress. Mr. WESTERMAN. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 4684) to direct the Secretary of Agriculture to issue a special use permit with respect to the maintaining
Official Congressional Record section title: Star-spangled Summit Act of 2026
Full text
Mr. WESTERMAN. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 4684) to direct the Secretary of Agriculture to issue a special use permit with respect to the maintaining of a flagpole bearing the flag of the United States at Kyhv Peak Lookout Point, Utah, and for other purposes, as amended.
The Clerk read the title of the bill.
The text of the bill is as follows:
H.R. 4684
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of
the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the “Star-Spangled Summit Act of
2026”.
SEC. 2. SPECIAL USE PERMIT FOR INSTALLATION, OPERATION,
MAINTENANCE, AND REMOVAL OF COVERED FLAGPOLE AT
KYHV PEAK LOOKOUT POINT.
(a) Definitions.—In this section:
(1) Covered flagpole.—The term “covered flagpole” means
a flagpole bearing the flag of the United States.
(2) Kyhv peak lookout point.—The term “Kyhv Peak Lookout
Point” means the peak within the Uinta National Forest
overlooking Utah Valley and located approximately at latitude
4016'18.14" N, longitude 11136'58.57" W.
(3) Qualified person.—The term “qualified person” means
an individual that resides in, or a nonprofit entity or
volunteer organization that carries out operations of the
entity or organization in, Utah County, Utah, that has—
(A) experience placing, maintaining, or otherwise caring
for a covered flagpole; and
(B) any other experience determined relevant by the
Secretary.
(4) Secretary.—The term “Secretary” means the Secretary
of Agriculture, acting through the Chief of the Forest
Service.
(b) Special Use Permit.—Not later than 180 days after the
date of enactment of this Act and notwithstanding any other
provision of law, the Secretary shall issue a special use
permit for a period of 10 years for the installation,
operation, maintenance, and removal, if necessary, of a
covered flagpole at Kyhv Peak Lookout Point to—
(1) an individual who has submitted a special use permit
application to display the flag of the United States
seasonally on Kyhv Peak prior to March 5, 2026;
(2) an individual who has placed or displayed the flag of
the United States at Kyhv Peak Lookout Point as part of a
longstanding seasonal practice prior to the date of enactment
of this Act; or
(3) if an individual described in paragraphs (1) and (2)
declines such permit, to a qualified person in accordance
with this section.
(c) Selection and Issuance.—
(1) Application.—Except as provided in subsection (b), to
be eligible to be selected for a special use permit under
this section, a qualified person shall submit to the
Secretary a proposal and application at such time, in such
manner, and containing such information as the Secretary may
require.
(2) Terms and conditions.—The Secretary may impose such
terms and conditions on a holder of a special use permit
under this section as the Secretary determines necessary to
ensure the proper care and maintenance of a covered flagpole.
(3) Land use fee exemption.—The Secretary shall not assess
any land use fees with respect to a special use permit issued
under this section.
(4) Notice of application.—The Secretary shall publish
notice of the availability of any special use permit under
this section on the website of the Forest Service and in a
local Utah County, Utah, newspaper of record.
(d) Subsequent Special Use Permits.—
(1) In general.—The Secretary shall renew or issue a new
10-year special use permit not later than 180 days after the
date that is the earliest of the following:
(A) The date that is 10 years after the date on which the
Secretary issued the preceding permit.
(B) The date on which the holder of the current special use
permit requests revocation of such permit.
(C) The date on which a special use permit is subject to
early termination under paragraph (2).
(2) Revocation.—If the Secretary determines that the
holder of a special use permit under this section is not in
compliance with the terms and conditions relating to such
permit under subsection (c)(3), the Secretary may revoke the
special use permit.
(e) Exemption From Cost Recovery Fees.—A holder of a
special use permit under this section shall be exempt from
any cost recovery fee under section 251.58 of title 36, Code
of Federal Regulations.
(f) Applicability of NEPA.—The National Environmental
Policy Act of 1969 (42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.) shall not apply
to the issuance, renewal, or administration of a special use
permit under this section, including any activities
associated with the placing, maintenance, or removal of a
covered flagpole at Kyhv Peak Lookout Point.
(g) Access.—The Secretary may authorize reasonable access
to Kyhv Peak Lookout Point for the purpose of exercising
rights under a special use permit issued under this section,
subject to conditions necessary to protect public safety and
natural resources.
(h) Limitation.—The Secretary shall ensure the activities
and access authorized by this section are limited to the
smallest practicable area.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from Arkansas (Mr. Westerman) and the gentlewoman from Maryland (Ms. Elfreth) each will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Arkansas.
General Leave
Mr. WESTERMAN. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on H.R. 4684, the bill now under consideration.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the gentleman from Arkansas?
There was no objection.
Mr. WESTERMAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
I rise today in support of H.R. 4684, the Star-Spangled Summit Act of 2026, introduced by Representative Kennedy from Utah.
restores a longstanding patriotic tradition in Utah for generations to come.
local Boy Scout troop hiked to the summit of Kyhv Peak Lookout Point to raise the American flag above the city of Provo, Utah.
community event. The annual raising of the American flag on this mountaintop has become not only a symbol of local pride for the Provo area but also a meaningful rite of passage for many young people in the community.
U.S. Forest Service ordered the flag's prompt removal due to the absence of a special use permit for the flagpole. Overnight, a patriotic tradition that had brought a community together for 20 years was snuffed out by bureaucratic process.
H.R. 4684 provides a straightforward solution. The bill directs the Forest Service to issue a 10-year special use permit for the seasonal placement of the American flag at Kyhv Peak and establishes a clear framework to allow the tradition to continue in perpetuity. Importantly, the legislation also waives all fees associated with the permit because you shouldn't have to pay to be patriotic.
should be encouraging patriotism and uplifting local traditions that bring communities together. This thoughtful legislation ensures that the Federal Government will no longer stand in the way of volunteers seeking to honor the American flag and show their love of country.
for his diligent work on the Committee on Natural Resources on behalf of his constituents.
Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting H.R. 4684, and I reserve the balance of my time.
Ms. ELFRETH. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
H.R. 4684 would authorize the Forest Service to issue a permit authorizing the maintenance of a flagpole at Kyhv Peak Lookout Point in Utah.
National Forest. It is a popular hiking destination that is used to feature the prominent flagpole displaying the American flag, which was first installed in 2000 by a Boy Scout troop.
However, U.S. Forest Service regulations prohibit the construction, placing, or maintaining of any structure on National Forest System land. The initial placement of this flagpole did not receive a permit, and consequently, the agency ordered the removal of the flagpole.
resources, and the support for this bill should in no way be seen as an attempt to undermine or weaken that very crucial standard.
“leave no trace” to continue to minimize the impact of our visits on the plants, animals, and ecosystems we all hold dear.
their own. The Forest Service has testified before the Committee on Natural Resources that they are working to issue the necessary permit without congressional action. However, this patriotic display, especially in our 250th year, as the chair said, is important to the local community and visitors alike.
Mr. Speaker, I urge support of this bill, and I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. WESTERMAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield 4 minutes to the gentleman from Utah (Mr. Kennedy), the lead sponsor of this bill.
Mr. KENNEDY of Utah. Mr. Speaker, I thank Chair Westerman for the opportunity to speak on this bill, and I also thank Ranking Member Huffman and my colleague Congresswoman Elfreth for their willingness to hear this bill on the House floor today.
Mr. Speaker, it should not take an act of Congress to fly an American flag on a mountain, but here we are, as we often are, in Congress.
Scout troop on a hike to Kyhv Peak above Utah Valley in Provo to raise the American flag at its summit. What began as a patriotic gesture by the Scouts evolved into an annual tradition.
friends, and community members, hiked to the summit to continue the tradition.
However, in 2022, the U.S. Forest Service restricted the display. An act of patriotism, one that asked nothing of the Federal Government and cost the taxpayer nothing, was shut down by Washington bureaucracy.
That is why I introduced the Star-Spangled Summit Act. This bill directs the Forest Service to issue the permit. In short, it is simple. It does one thing well: lets Mr. Collins carry our flag up that mountain again.
Mr. Speaker, in the grand scheme of issues this body confronts, this may seem like a small fix, but I believe this bill represents a larger challenge. This story reflects the challenge familiar to Utah and to communities across the West.
often, the decisions made about that land are disconnected from the people who actually live there. Local traditions get tangled in Federal processes. Common sense gives way to bureaucracy. Good people doing good things are left waiting for years.
Utahns know our lands, and we know our communities. It is my belief that Utahns should not be buried under layers of bureaucracy when making decisions about the place that they call home.
For 250 years, Americans have raised our flag. We have raised it at Yorktown and at Gettysburg. We have raised it at Iwo Jima and on the surface of the Moon. Yes, we even raised it over the mountain peaks of Provo.
communities a government that works with them. The Star-Spangled Summit Act restores a measure of balance that returns a small piece of decisionmaking to the community it belongs to, and it ensures the American flag can continue to wave.
Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting H.R. 4684, the Star-Spangled Summit Act.
Ms. ELFRETH. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this legislation, and I yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. WESTERMAN. Mr. Speaker, I once again thank Representative Kennedy for his leadership on the Star-Spangled Summit Act of 2026. This bill restores a meaningful community tradition, cuts through unnecessary red tape, and ensures that the American flag can continue flying over Provo in a way that respects both patriotism and responsible stewardship of our public lands.
Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 4684, and I yield back the balance of my time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the gentleman from Arkansas (Mr. Westerman) that the House suspend the rules and pass the bill, H.R. 4684, as amended.
The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the rules were suspended and the bill, as amended, was passed.
A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.