Constitution Index · S. 1596 · 2025-05-05
Jocelyn Nungaray National Wildlife Refuge Act
Latest official status (2025-07-24): Became Public Law No: 119-30.
Constitutional grade
A
Constitutional
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.
Article I, Section 8, Clause 17 Article IV, Section 3, Clause 2
SI-generated grade · passed automated checks (real Constitution citation, language rules) · not individually reviewed by a person · methodology · Report an error: hello@valuesforamerica.com
The five checks
Enumerated powers · passes
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.
Bill of Rights · passes
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.
Individual liberty · passes
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.
Decentralization · passes
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.
Due process and takings · passes
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.
Provenance
- Congress.gov: S 1596 summary · fetched 2026-10-08 · official page ↗
Version history · never overwritten
| Grade | Graded | Rubric | Source hash | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| A · #482 | 2026-10-10 | vfa-constitutional-grade/1.0 | 6fc65c132de2 | current |
Cite this
Values for America. “Constitutional grade: S. 1596, Jocelyn Nungaray National Wildlife Refuge Act.” VFA Constitution Index, grade 482 (rubric vfa-constitutional-grade/1.0), graded October 10, 2026. https://www.valuesforamerica.com/constitution-index/grades/482. Accessed 2026-10-19.
Permalink: https://www.valuesforamerica.com/constitution-index/grades/482
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