Star-Spangled Summit Act of 2026 passed the House 300 days after introduction and awaits a vote in the Senate

Star-Spangled Summit Act of 2026 This bill directs the Forest Service to issue a special use permit to maintain a flagpole bearing the American flag at Kyhv Peak Lookout Point in the Uinta National Forest, which is in Utah. The Forest Service must issue the special use permit for a 10-year period and renew the permit as required by the bill. The Forest Service may impose terms and conditions on a permit holder to ensure the proper care and maintenance of the flagpole. The bill prohibits the Forest Service from charging a land use fee for the special use permit. The bill also exempts such permit from environmental review requirements under the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969. As background, Scoutmaster Robert Collins and his scout troop raised the American flag at the point in 2000 and lowered it before winter. The flag was raised annually until the Forest Service cited policy that requires a permit for the construction or placement of any structure, including flagpoles, on National Forest lands. The bill directs the Forest Service to issue a special use permit so the flag may continue to be raised seasonally each year.