Sponsors (27)
The bill makes Federal lands more affordable and accessible on several named holidays — improving recreation and public health for many Americans — but shifts costs and crowding onto park budgets, operations, and natural resources, creating trade-offs between access and maintenance/resilience.
All Americans — especially families, children, and community residents — gain free entry to Federal lands on the named fee-free days, lowering out-of-pocket recreation costs and making visits more affordable.
Increased use of parks on fee-free days encourages outdoor recreation, which can improve public health through exercise and nature exposure.
Aligning fee-free days with holidays can boost volunteerism and community stewardship of public lands, supporting local engagement and conservation activities.
Federal lands will forgo fee revenue on the designated days, reducing funds available for maintenance and services and forcing reliance on alternative funding or taxpayer support; this also makes budget planning less predictable for park operations.
Concentrating visitation on specific fee-free holidays can cause significant crowding, degrading the visitor experience and putting pressure on natural resources at popular sites.
Higher visitation on free days can strain facilities and staffing — increasing wear and tear, creating operational burdens for local governments and park managers, and potentially stressing nearby services (e.g., emergency response, sanitation).
Based on analysis of 3 sections of legislative text.
Requires free public access to Federal recreational lands and waters on six specified national days each year and allows the Secretary to add other fee-free days.
Requires the Secretary of the Interior to offer free admission and use of Federal recreational lands and waters on six specified days each year: Martin Luther King, Jr. Day; the first day of National Park Week; Juneteenth; Great American Outdoors Day; National Public Lands Day; and Veterans Day. The bill converts the current discretionary authority into a statutory requirement for those six days while preserving the Secretary’s ability to designate additional fee-free days.
Official title: To amend the Federal Lands Recreation Enhancement Act to provide that entrance fees shall not be charged for entry to Federal recreational lands and water on certain days, and for other purposes.
Introduced June 11, 2026 by Sydney Kamlager-Dove · Last progress June 11, 2026