Encouraging Public Service in Our National Parks and Public Land Act
- Bill Number
- S. 3429
- Origin Chamber
- Senate
- Congress
- 119th Congress, Session 1
- Policy Area
- Public Lands and Natural Resources
- Status
- Introduced
- Latest Action
- 2025-12-10: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.
- Last Updated
- 2026-06-26T22:16:54Z
AI-Generated Summary
Purpose This legislation amends the Federal Lands Recreation Enhancement Act to require fee-free entry on specific days to Federal recreational lands and waters, including units of the National Park System. It aims to promote community service, volunteerism, and national pride by aligning free access with key holidays and observances.
Key Provisions
- Establishes mandatory fee-free days each year on:
- Martin Luther King, Jr. Birthday (third Monday in January)
- First day of National Park Week (April)
- Juneteenth National Independence Day (June 19)
- Great American Outdoors Day (August 4)
- National Public Lands Day (fourth Saturday in September)
- Veterans Day (November 11)
- Retains the Secretary's discretion to add other fee-free days beyond these required dates.
- Applies to admission and use fees for Federal recreational lands and waters.
Significant Changes to Existing Law The bill replaces the existing discretionary language ("The Secretary may provide for") with a mandatory requirement ("The Secretary shall provide for") for the listed dates. It expands the list of specific fee-free days beyond current practice.
Potential Impacts
- Increases public access to Federal lands on designated days, potentially boosting visitation and volunteer participation.
- May reduce fee revenue for land-managing agencies, affecting maintenance and operations funding.
- Encourages citizen engagement without creating new regulatory burdens on individuals.
Main Stakeholders Affected
- Federal agencies responsible for public lands, such as the National Park Service and Bureau of Land Management.
- U.S. citizens and visitors seeking low-cost access to recreational areas.
- Veterans, community groups, and organizations involved in service activities on public lands.
Notable Legal, Constitutional, or Political Implications The measure focuses on expanding access to public resources and does not alter core constitutional authorities over Federal lands. It standardizes fee policies across agencies while preserving administrative flexibility for additional free days.
This summary was generated by AI and may contain inaccuracies. Refer to the official source document for the authoritative text.
Sponsor
Sen. Cortez Masto, Catherine [D-NV]
Cosponsors (7)
Sen. Wyden, Ron [D-OR], Sen. Hirono, Mazie K. [D-HI], Sen. Schiff, Adam B. [D-CA], Sen. Hickenlooper, John W. [D-CO], Sen. Gallego, Ruben [D-AZ], Sen. Padilla, Alex [D-CA], Sen. Booker, Cory A. [D-NJ]
Recent Actions
- 2025-12-10: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.
- 2025-12-10: Introduced in Senate
Bill Versions
- Encouraging Public Service in Our National Parks and Public Land Act — issued 2025-12-10 — PDF (3 pages)