Other
America the Beautiful Act
This bill extends and increases dedicated funding—up to $2 billion annually—to repair deteriorating roads, buildings, water systems, and trails across national parks, national forests, wildlife refuges, and Bureau of Indian Education schools. To help finance repairs, foreign tourists will pay a new entrance surcharge at national parks, and federal agencies can license their logos and solicit donations during park pass checkouts. The legislation also expedites repair approvals, permits direct contracting with tribes and nonprofit partners, and explicitly bans using the funds for federal employee bonuses, new land purchases, or road closures.
People affected—The bill directly affects foreign nonresident visitors to National Park units and recreational pass purchasers, but precise population totals are not specified in the statutory text.
Fiscal magnitude—no CBO estimate published
Reach58provisional · pending reviewrigor: heuristic llm
What this bill touches.
Spending vs. restraint+45Federal lands & resources+50Pollution & development−40Public works+55
Who it helps · who it burdens.
Who it helps
- Federal land management agenciesReceive extended and increased funding up to $2,000,000,000 annually through 2033 to reduce deferred maintenance backlogs on public lands, wildlife refuges, national forests, and Bureau of Indian Education schools (Sec. 2(a), Sec. 2(b), and Sec. 2(e)).
- State, local, and Tribal governments and park partner organizationsGain eligibility for noncompetitive procurement contracts for priority deferred maintenance projects when providing dollar-for-dollar matching funds, and are solicited annually to recommend funding projects (Sec. 2(g) and Sec. 2(j)).
Who backs it
- Non-U.S. resident national park visitorsMust pay a newly established entrance fee surcharge when visiting National Park System units that charge admission fees through September 30, 2031, with proceeds deposited into the Legacy Restoration Fund (Sec. 3).
- Federal onshore energy revenuesRevenues from federal onshore energy development are directed into the Legacy Restoration Fund for fiscal years 2027 through 2031 to finance deferred maintenance projects (Sec. 2(b), Sec. 2(c), and Sec. 2(d)).
- Department of the Interior intellectual property licenseesPay licensing fees covering full processing and management costs to the Department of the Interior to license designated agency trademarks and intellectual property (Sec. 4).