Representatives, local elected officials and river outfitters told the House Natural Resources Subcommittee on Federal Lands that H.R. (North Rim Restoration Act) is needed to speed rebuilding after the Dragon Bravo fire, which witnesses said ignited on July 4, 2025 and consumed more than 145,000 acres and destroyed visitor infrastructure including the historic Grand Canyon Lodge.

Representative Crane described the bill as a tool to "bypass delays and move quickly on fire-related recovery, including forest management, maintenance, rebuilding and infrastructure improvements," and said the park service would be required to submit a full report to Congress every 180 days to ensure accountability.

John Dillon, executive director of the Grand Canyon River Outfitters Association, said the North Rim economy supports thousands of jobs and that North Rim visitation pumped nearly $73,000,000 into rural communities in 2022. Dillon said many businesses faced immediate losses after the fire; he recounted a local operator that refunded roughly $350,000 in reservations this season.

Mayor Greg Hancock of Wilcox, Arizona, testified in favor of redesignation for Chiricahua (separate bill) but also emphasized the economic importance of park visitation for rural gateway communities impacted by fires. Members asked witnesses about the feasibility of rebuilding infrastructure to support a longer visitation season and about safeguards to ensure funds address restoration rather than expansion.

Committee members expressed sympathy and support but did not take formal action. The subcommittee left the record open for written questions; no vote occurred at the hearing.