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119-s-1547119th CongressWALLET

America the Beautiful Act

Sponsored By: Senator Daines, Steve [R-MT]

In Committee

Summary

This bill would reauthorize and restructure the National Parks and Public Land Legacy Restoration Fund to steer more money to specific agencies and speed repairs. It focuses funding priorities, creates a temporary nonresident entrance-fee surcharge, and shortens approval and contracting steps for deferred maintenance projects.

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  • Park visitors: Nonresident visitors would face an added entrance-fee surcharge that is separate from the standard fee and would expire on September 30, 2031. The surcharge would be set with public input and can be collected per vehicle or through vendors.
  • Land-managing agencies and assets: The Fund would guarantee minimum shares for major agencies and expand eligible work to include reconstruction of removed assets. The bill would bar Fund use for land acquisition and some recurring or personnel costs.
  • Partners, procurement, and timelines: The bill would speed delivery by allowing faster contract awards, limited noncompetitive contracts for uniquely positioned entities, and set micro-purchase thresholds around $25,000 to $35,000. Non-Federal nonprofits would generally need to match Fund contributions.

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Bill Overview

Analyzed Economic Effects

3 provisions identified: 0 benefits, 1 costs, 2 mixed.

Interior licensing fees for businesses

If enacted, the Secretary of the Interior would be allowed to license Department intellectual property and retain license fees without further appropriation. License fees would need to at least cover the Interior's processing and issuance costs. The Interior would use retained fees first for IP development, protection, enforcement, and related costs, and would deposit any remaining money into the Park Restoration Fund unless that Fund's yearly maximum is reached.

Changes to park restoration funding

If enacted, the bill would extend deposits to the National Parks and Public Land Legacy Restoration Fund through fiscal years 2027–2031 and change how receipts are credited. It would require minimum shares of non-transportation project funds (NPS and Fish & Wildlife at least 65% each; Forest Service at least 32%; BLM at least 15%). Administrative expenses would be capped at 3% of deposits. Micro-purchase limits for Fund projects would be raised ($35,000 standard; $25,000 for certain construction; $30,000 for services) and adjusted yearly for inflation starting January 1, 2027. Nonprofit partners would generally need to match Fund amounts dollar-for-dollar, agencies must publish annual project lists by April 30 (with interim FY2027/FY2028 deadlines in November 2026), and certain reconstructions would be eligible up to $5,000,000. The bill would also bar Fund use for land acquisition, routine operations supplanting, employee bonuses, and decommissioning certain roads.

Higher park fee for nonresidents

If enacted, the bill would add a surcharge on entrance fees for visitors who are not U.S. citizens or lawful permanent residents. The surcharge would apply only at parks that charge an entrance fee and could be charged per vehicle or collected by travel vendors. Proceeds would go to the Park Restoration Fund until that Fund's yearly maximum is reached, and then collecting units could keep extra money. The surcharge would expire on September 30, 2031 and could be suspended, tiered, or exempted for certain narrow categories.

Sponsors & CoSponsors

Sponsor

Daines, Steve [R-MT]

MT • R

Cosponsors

  • Sen. King, Angus S., Jr. [I-ME]

    ME • I

    Sponsored 5/1/2025

  • Sen. Cramer, Kevin [R-ND]

    ND • R

    Sponsored 5/1/2025

  • Sen. Warner, Mark R. [D-VA]

    VA • D

    Sponsored 5/1/2025

  • Sen. Sheehy, Tim [R-MT]

    MT • R

    Sponsored 5/1/2025

  • Sen. Shaheen, Jeanne [D-NH]

    NH • D

    Sponsored 5/1/2025

  • Sen. Murkowski, Lisa [R-AK]

    AK • R

    Sponsored 5/1/2025

  • Sen. Hickenlooper, John W. [D-CO]

    CO • D

    Sponsored 5/1/2025

  • Sen. McCormick, David [R-PA]

    PA • R

    Sponsored 6/23/2025

  • Sen. Gallego, Ruben [D-AZ]

    AZ • D

    Sponsored 6/23/2025

  • Sen. Collins, Susan M. [R-ME]

    ME • R

    Sponsored 6/23/2025

  • Sen. Coons, Christopher A. [D-DE]

    DE • D

    Sponsored 6/23/2025

  • Sen. Justice, James C. [R-WV]

    WV • R

    Sponsored 6/26/2025

  • Sen. Cortez Masto, Catherine [D-NV]

    NV • D

    Sponsored 6/26/2025

  • Sen. Banks, Jim [R-IN]

    IN • R

    Sponsored 7/9/2025

  • Sen. Markey, Edward J. [D-MA]

    MA • D

    Sponsored 7/9/2025

  • Sen. Hyde-Smith, Cindy [R-MS]

    MS • R

    Sponsored 7/14/2025

  • Sen. Smith, Tina [D-MN]

    MN • D

    Sponsored 7/14/2025

  • Sen. Tillis, Thomas [R-NC]

    NC • R

    Sponsored 7/14/2025

  • Sen. Blumenthal, Richard [D-CT]

    CT • D

    Sponsored 7/14/2025

  • Sen. Budd, Ted [R-NC]

    NC • R

    Sponsored 7/29/2025

  • Sen. Hirono, Mazie K. [D-HI]

    HI • D

    Sponsored 7/29/2025

  • Sen. Young, Todd [R-IN]

    IN • R

    Sponsored 7/31/2025

  • Sen. Wyden, Ron [D-OR]

    OR • D

    Sponsored 7/31/2025

  • Sen. Boozman, John [R-AR]

    AR • R

    Sponsored 9/8/2025

  • Sen. Kaine, Tim [D-VA]

    VA • D

    Sponsored 9/8/2025

  • Sen. Hoeven, John [R-ND]

    ND • R

    Sponsored 9/16/2025

  • Sen. Rosen, Jacky [D-NV]

    NV • D

    Sponsored 9/16/2025

  • Sen. McConnell, Mitch [R-KY]

    KY • R

    Sponsored 10/21/2025

  • Sen. Van Hollen, Chris [D-MD]

    MD • D

    Sponsored 10/21/2025

  • Sen. Cotton, Tom [R-AR]

    AR • R

    Sponsored 10/22/2025

  • Sen. Luján, Ben Ray [D-NM]

    NM • D

    Sponsored 10/22/2025

  • Sen. Graham, Lindsey [R-SC]

    SC • R

    Sponsored 11/3/2025

  • Sen. Kim, Andy [D-NJ]

    NJ • D

    Sponsored 11/3/2025

  • Sen. Husted, Jon [R-OH]

    OH • R

    Sponsored 1/12/2026

  • Sen. Baldwin, Tammy [D-WI]

    WI • D

    Sponsored 1/12/2026

  • Sen. Moreno, Bernie [R-OH]

    OH • R

    Sponsored 1/30/2026

  • Sen. Alsobrooks, Angela D. [D-MD]

    MD • D

    Sponsored 1/30/2026

  • Sen. Wicker, Roger F. [R-MS]

    MS • R

    Sponsored 2/2/2026

  • Sen. Kelly, Mark [D-AZ]

    AZ • D

    Sponsored 2/2/2026

  • Sen. Marshall, Roger [R-KS]

    KS • R

    Sponsored 2/9/2026

  • Sen. Schumer, Charles E. [D-NY]

    NY • D

    Sponsored 2/9/2026

  • Rep. Mullin, Markwayne [R-OK-2]

    OK • R

    Sponsored 2/24/2026

  • Sen. Klobuchar, Amy [D-MN]

    MN • D

    Sponsored 2/24/2026

  • Sen. Schmitt, Eric [R-MO]

    MO • R

    Sponsored 3/5/2026

  • Sen. Warnock, Raphael G. [D-GA]

    GA • D

    Sponsored 3/5/2026

  • Sen. Scott, Tim [R-SC]

    SC • R

    Sponsored 3/9/2026

  • Sen. Blunt Rochester, Lisa [D-DE]

    DE • D

    Sponsored 3/9/2026

  • Sen. Sullivan, Dan [R-AK]

    AK • R

    Sponsored 3/10/2026

  • Sen. Bennet, Michael F. [D-CO]

    CO • D

    Sponsored 3/10/2026

  • Sen. Hawley, Josh [R-MO]

    MO • R

    Sponsored 3/24/2026

  • Sen. Padilla, Alex [D-CA]

    CA • D

    Sponsored 3/24/2026

  • Sen. Cornyn, John [R-TX]

    TX • R

    Sponsored 4/29/2026

  • Sen. Fetterman, John [D-PA]

    PA • D

    Sponsored 4/29/2026

  • Sen. Risch, James E. [R-ID]

    ID • R

    Sponsored 5/12/2026

  • Sen. Schiff, Adam B. [D-CA]

    CA • D

    Sponsored 5/12/2026

  • Sen. Crapo, Mike [R-ID]

    ID • R

    Sponsored 5/12/2026

  • Sen. Welch, Peter [D-VT]

    VT • D

    Sponsored 5/12/2026

  • Sen. Hagerty, Bill [R-TN]

    TN • R

    Sponsored 5/13/2026

  • Sen. Gillibrand, Kirsten E. [D-NY]

    NY • D

    Sponsored 5/13/2026

  • Sen. Armstrong, Alan [R-OK]

    OK • R

    Sponsored 5/19/2026

  • Sen. Lankford, James [R-OK]

    OK • R

    Sponsored 6/2/2026

  • Sen. Murphy, Christopher [D-CT]

    CT • D

    Sponsored 6/2/2026

  • Sen. Britt, Katie Boyd [R-AL]

    AL • R

    Sponsored 6/4/2026

  • Sen. Schatz, Brian [D-HI]

    HI • D

    Sponsored 6/4/2026

  • Sen. Capito, Shelley Moore [R-WV]

    WV • R

    Sponsored 6/18/2026

  • Sen. Heinrich, Martin [D-NM]

    NM • D

    Sponsored 6/18/2026

  • Sen. Ernst, Joni [R-IA]

    IA • R

    Sponsored 7/15/2026

  • Sen. Merkley, Jeff [D-OR]

    OR • D

    Sponsored 7/15/2026

  • Sen. Rounds, Mike [R-SD]

    SD • R

    Sponsored 8/7/2026

  • Sen. Murray, Patty [D-WA]

    WA • D

    Sponsored 8/7/2026

Roll Call Votes

No roll call votes available for this bill.

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