,,ii  #aahth ,,congress  #b;d ,session  
,s4 #dceb  ,,in ,,the ,,senate ,,of     
,,the ,,united ,,states  ,may #ae1      
#bjbd,mr4 ,warnock 7for himself and ,mr4
 ,tillis7 introduced the following bill2
 which was read twice and referred to   
the ,committee on ,agriculture1         
,nutrition1 and ,forestry  ,a ,,bill    
,to amend the ,national ,trails ,system 
,act to direct the ,secretary of        
,agriculture to conduct a study on the  
feasibility of designating the ,benton  
,mac,kaye ,trail as a national scenic   
trail4  #a4 ,short title ,this ,act may 
be cited as the ,benton ,mac,kaye       
,national ,scenic ,trail ,feasibility   
,study ,act of #bjbd4  #b4 ,findings    
,congress finds that the ,benton        
,mac,kaye ,trail-- 7#a7 is a scenic1    
nonmotorized trail that traverses       
approximately #bhg miles over some of   
the most renowned forests and mountains 
in the ,states of ,georgia1 ,tennessee1 
and ,north ,carolina2  7#b7 showcases a 
wide variety of scenic views1 including 

high-elevation peaks1 mature forests1   
and secluded waterfalls2  7#c7 passes   
through wilderness that is rich with    
biodiversity2  7#d7 passes through #f   
designated wilderness areas1 the ,great 
,smoky ,mountains ,national ,park1 and  
the ,chattahoochee-,oconee1 ,cherokee1  
and ,nantahala ,national ,forests2  7#e7
 provides a wide array of easily        
accessible hikes for novice and         
intermediate hikers1 as well as more    
challenging trails for backpacking2     
7#f7 supports economic opportunities for
 numerous rural communities that benefit
 from the visitors to the ,benton       
,mac,kaye ,trail spending their money on
 accommodations1 food1 and outdoor      
supplies2  7#g7 runs from ,springer     
,mountain in the ,state of ,georgia1    
through the ,state of ,tennessee1 and   
extends through the ,great ,smoky       
,mountains ,national ,park in the ,state
 of ,north ,carolina2  7#h7 is          
physically accessible2 and  7#i7 can be 
maintained at a minimal cost because--  

7,a7 the ,benton ,mac,kaye ,trail has   
been maintained at the same length since
 #bjje2  7,b7 #ie percent of the ,benton
 ,mac,kaye ,trail is located on ,federal
 land2 and  7,c7 the ,benton ,mac,kaye  
,trail has been successfully            
constructed1 maintained1 and managed by 
the ,benton ,mac,kaye ,trail            
,association since #aihj4  #c4 ,benton  
,mackaye ,national ,scenic ,trail       
feasibility study ,section #e7;c7 of the
 ,national ,trails ,system ,act 7#af    
,u4,s4,c4 #abdd7;c77 is amended by      
adding at the end the following3  7#ej7 
,benton ,mackaye ,trail  7,a7 ,in       
general ,the ,benton ,mac,kaye ,trail1 a
 scenic1 nonmotorized trail that        
traverses approximately #bhg miles in   
the ,states of ,georgia1 ,tennessee1 and
 ,north ,carolina4  7,b7 ,study ,not    
later than #a year after the date of    
enactment of this paragraph1 the        
,secretary of ,agriculture1 in          
consultation with interested            
organizations 7including the ,benton    

,mac,kaye ,trail ,association71 shall   
complete and submit to ,congress the    
feasibility study for designating the   
,benton ,mac,kaye ,trail as a national  
scenic trail4  4