Sponsors (3)
The bill increases and localizes park funding and gives managers flexible tools to raise revenue, but does so by adding surcharges that raise costs for visitors (especially international tourists), risk uneven fee burdens, and add administrative complexity.
National parks nationwide will get more funding for restoration because pass surcharge revenue will be deposited into the Legacy Restoration Fund to support park restoration projects.
Individual park units (and their visitors) will benefit from surcharge revenue staying at the collecting unit to pay for local maintenance, visitor services, and staffing, enabling quicker, targeted spending on immediate needs.
Park superintendents will be able to set surcharges tailored to local conditions, allowing managers to balance visitor access with revenue needs.
International visitors and tourists will face higher costs to enter parks or buy passes because of added surcharges, increasing travel expenses.
Higher fees could reduce visitation to some parks and harm rural communities and local businesses that rely on tourist spending.
Giving the Secretary a minimum and allowing exemptions creates a risk of uneven fee burdens across parks and raises concerns about discretionary fee increases without direct congressional review.
Based on analysis of 2 sections of legislative text.
Allows surcharges on international visitors at fee-charging national park units and on America the Beautiful pass sales to international visitors, with revenues used for park maintenance and restoration.
Official title: To amend the Federal Lands Recreation Enhancement Act to authorize the Secretary of the Interior to collect a surcharge from international visitors to units of the National Park System, and for other purposes.
Introduced July 22, 2025 by Riley M. Moore · Last progress July 22, 2025
Creates authority for National Park Service superintendents to impose a surcharge on international visitors entering fee-charging park units and on sales of the America the Beautiful pass to eligible international visitors. Surcharge revenue from park units stays at the collecting unit for maintenance, visitor services, staffing, and related needs; America the Beautiful pass surcharge is deposited into the Legacy Restoration Fund. Defines “international visitor” by reference to specific nonimmigrant visa categories, allows superintendents to set rates (including vehicle-rate proportionality and collection by third parties), permits temporary suspension or tiered pricing, and creates narrow exceptions (e.g., Washington Monument and certain International Peace Parks).