The bill preserves fee revenue and predictable pricing for fee-entry federal lands by eliminating ad-hoc presidential-birthday free-admission waivers, improving funding and clarity but at the cost of occasional free-access benefits and reduced event flexibility for park managers.
Park and refuge operations and the communities that rely on them keep fee revenue because the bill preserves collected entrance fees rather than allowing presidential-birthday free-admission waivers, supporting maintenance and services.
Visitors and taxpayers benefit from a consistent, year-round fee schedule because the bill prevents ad-hoc presidential birthday fee waivers that could create confusion about when fees apply.
Visitors who would have used a presidential-birthday free-admission day lose that temporary free access, making some visits more costly for people who relied on or planned around the waiver.
Park units and managers lose flexibility to run targeted outreach or goodwill events tied to a president’s birthday, reducing a tool that could increase visitation and community engagement.
Based on analysis of 2 sections of legislative text.
Introduced January 15, 2026 by Gabe Amo · Last progress January 15, 2026
Prohibits National Park Service units and National Wildlife Refuge units that charge an entrance fee from waiving or reducing that fee to commemorate the birthday of a sitting President, unless the birthday falls on a statutory Federal holiday. The only exception allowed is when the President's birthday coincides with a federal holiday listed under 5 U.S.C. §6103. The bill does not create new funding, deadlines, or administrative programs; it only limits one specific kind of fee waiver or reduction at fee-charging units of the National Park System and National Wildlife Refuge System.