S. 1596 explained  ·  119th Congress  ·  Became law

Jocelyn Nungaray National Wildlife Refuge Act

Create a free account or sign in to follow S. 1596 and get alerts. Policy area: Public Lands and Natural Resources Create a free account or sign in to follow the Public Lands and Natural Resources policy area and get alerts. ▲ 453 days since action Sponsor: John Cornyn, TX-Senate, R → Congress.gov

Cosponsors: 1 (0 D, 1 R) · per Congress.gov, 2026-10-11

Introduced: 2025-05-05

Latest action (2025-07-24): Became Public Law No: 119-30.

What S. 1596 does, in plain terms

Jocelyn Nungaray National Wildlife Refuge Act This act renames the Anahuac National Wildlife Refuge located in Anahuac, Texas, as the Jocelyn Nungaray National Wildlife Refuge. The act provides statutory authority for Executive Order 14229, which also renamed the refuge as the Jocelyn Nungaray National Wildlife Refuge.

Official summary by the Congressional Research Service, via Congress.gov.

Constitution Index

“VFA Constitution grade”

A

Constitutionally sound

Graded 2026-10-10

SI-generated grade · five published checks · not individually reviewed by a person · methodology

This bill simply renames a federal wildlife refuge and provides statutory authority for a prior executive order. It does not expand federal power, restrict rights, or affect individual sovereignty. The action is a routine administrative matter within Congress's enumerated powers over federal property.

  • ✓ Passes · Enumerated powers
    Congress has explicit authority under Article I, Section 8, Clause 17 to exercise exclusive legislation over federal property, and the Property Clause (Article IV, Section 3, Clause 2) grants Congress power to dispose of and make rules respecting federal territory. Naming a federal refuge is a valid exercise of this authority.
  • ✓ Passes · Bill of Rights
    The bill does not implicate any provision of the Bill of Rights. It merely changes the name of a federal facility and does not affect speech, religion, assembly, press, petition, arms, quartering, search and seizure, self-incrimination, due process, trial rights, jury rights, cruel and unusual punishment, unenumerated rights, or reserved powers.
  • ✓ Passes · Individual sovereignty
    The bill imposes no restrictions on personal liberty, property, speech, labor, or belief. It does not regulate individual conduct or require any action from private citizens. The burden on government to justify restrictions is not triggered because no restriction exists.
  • ✓ Passes · Decentralization
    The action is a purely administrative naming of a federal facility. It does not consolidate decision-making authority; it merely designates a name for property already under federal control. The four-question test is satisfied because the federal government already owns and manages the refuge, and the naming is a ministerial act.
  • ✓ Passes · Due process and takings
    The bill does not deprive any person of life, liberty, or property, nor does it take private property. It does not affect procedural or substantive due process rights. The renaming of a federal refuge is a non-arbitrary administrative action with no impact on individual rights.

Sources: Congress.gov: S 1596 summary

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