WASHINGTON, D.C, – Today, Senator Jim Banks (R-Ind.) introduced the Protecting America’s Treasures by Raising Inflow from Overseas Tourists (PATRIOT) Parks Act. The Patriot Parks Act amends the Federal Lands Recreation Enhancement Act to standardize and increase foreign visitor fees at National Parks. This bill codifies President Trump’s “Make America Beautiful Again by Improving Our National Parks” executive order that was signed on July 3rd, 2025. Rep. Riley Moore (R-WV) is leading similar legislation in the House.
Senator Jim Banks (R-Ind.): “Americans already pay for our parks through federal taxes on top of standard admission fees, so it’s fair to ask foreign visitors to chip in more. This bill codifies President Trump’s executive order and helps protect our national treasures for future generations.”
Key Provision of the Protecting America’s Treasures by Raising Inflow from Overseas Tourists (PATRIOT) Parks Act.
- Clear Purpose for Fees: Ensures that surcharge fees help fix park maintenance problems and guarantees American citizens don’t pay double to visit our national parks.
- Local Decision-Making: Authorizes local park leaders to decide how much to add to fees, based on what makes sense for their park, revenue balance, and visitors.
- Dedicated Use of Funds: Directs all entry fee money to fixing and maintaining the park through the National Parks and Public Land Legacy Restoration Fund.
- Flexible Systems: Allows surcharge fees to be collected through current park systems or with help from travel and lodging businesses, and give parks the power to raise, lower, or pause fees based on seasonal or local visitation.
Full bill text can be found here.
This bill has been endorsed by the American Conservation Coalition Action, the Property and Environment Research Center and the Bull Moose Project.
Background:
Three dozen countries already impose a foreign visitor fee, and the National Park Service has over $23 billion in needed repairs for roads, trails, and visitor areas. More people than ever (331.9 million visits in 2024) are using the parks, which is gradually putting pressure on outdated facilities.
This legislation works to enhance surcharge fees, creating more funding for aging NPS systems.
Read more about the Protecting America’s Treasures by Raising Inflow from Overseas Tourists (PATRIOT) Parks Act here.