Congress passes bill to make Chiricahua a national park

Congress sends measure to president

Congress has passed a bill to change Chiricahua National Monument into a national park, completing the measure’s path through Congress. The proposal now goes to the president for final approval. Chiricahua does not yet have national park status because the congressional vote is not the last required step.

If the president gives final approval, Chiricahua would become Arizona’s fourth national park. That would change its designation from a national monument to a national park and raise the state’s national park count from three to four.

What happens next

The next step is at the presidential stage. Congressional passage means lawmakers have finished voting on the bill; final approval would put the redesignation into effect. The measure’s status can therefore be stated in two parts: Congress has passed it, and the proposed national park designation is still awaiting the president.

For Arizona, the numerical change is straightforward. The state has three national parks under the current count, and Chiricahua’s redesignation would add a fourth. The congressional action does not by itself change that count. It advances the measure to the point where presidential approval can complete the change.