Tthe Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee officially passed the bipartisan bill in a voice vote on June 17. The America the Beautiful Act (S. 1547) is designed to address a critical $24 billion repair backlog across national parks and public lands by reauthorizing the National Parks and Public Land Legacy Restoration Fund (LRF), which originally expired in 2025.
The bill will fund infrastructure repairs including crumbling park roads, bridges, failing water and wastewater systems, visitor centers, and employee housing.
“National Parks Conservation Association (NPCA) commends bipartisan members of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee for their leadership in advancing the America the Beautiful Act and keeping this critical effort moving forward,” Emily Douce, acting vice president of Government Affairs for the NPCA. “Today’s action is an important step toward addressing long-overdue repairs in our national parks and protecting the places that define our nation’s identity.”
Lawmakers compromised to authorize $9.5 billion over five years. This adjusts the Senate bill’s timeline and budget to align with matching House legislation. A companion bill titled the Great American Outdoors Act 250 (H.R. 9250) was introduced on June 10, by Reps. Bruce Westerman and Jared Huffman, to coordinate identical funding levels and timelines.
The bill will expand funding targets to explicitly include lands administered by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service alongside the National Park Service, U.S. Forest Service, and Bureau of Land Management, according to Congress.gov.
“Time and again, our national parks prove to be a unifying force that can bring both sides of the political aisle together,” Douce said. “And as America approaches its 250th anniversary, there’s no better way to honor this milestone than by investing in the places that protect and tell our shared history.”
The bill will now heads to the full Senate floor for a vote.
“The job is far from finished,” Douce said. “Congress must act swiftly to pass this bill and deliver it to the president’s desk. National parks face a repair backlog of $24 billion, and severe staffing losses continue to delay critical projects, threatening irreplaceable resources and compromising visitor experience. Congress must build on this bipartisan momentum and work with the administration to invest in the staff necessary to restore and protect our parks.
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