[Congressional Record Volume 172, Number 47 (Monday, March 16, 2026)]
[House]
[Pages H2519-H2521]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
{time} 1710
GATEWAY PARTNERSHIP ACT
Mr. WITTMAN. Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the
bill (H.R. 5254) to authorize the Secretary of the Interior to enter
into an agreement with the Gateway Arch Park Foundation to host private
events in Gateway Arch National Park buildings, and for other purposes,
as amended.
The Clerk read the title of the bill.
The text of the bill is as follows:
H.R. 5254
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of
the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Gateway Partnership Act''.
SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS.
In this Act:
(1) Foundation.--The term ``Foundation'' means the Gateway
Arch Park Foundation, a nonprofit organization that serves as
the official philanthropic partner of the Park.
(2) Park.--The term ``Park'' means Gateway Arch National
Park.
(3) Park building.--The term ``Park building'' means--
(A) the Arch Visitor Center;
(B) the Old Courthouse; and
(C) any other building administered or managed by the
Secretary as part of the Park that is open to the public.
(4) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary
of the Interior.
SEC. 3. GATEWAY ARCH NATIONAL PARK PARTNER AGREEMENT PILOT
PROJECT.
(a) In General.--The Secretary, in accordance with
subsection (b), may enter into a one-
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time agreement for a period not to exceed five years with the
Foundation to host private events at the Park, which may
include the use of Park buildings.
(b) Terms and Conditions.--An agreement entered into under
subsection (a) shall include terms and conditions to protect
the resources and values of the Park, including--
(1) dates and times during which the Foundation may be the
exclusive organization that holds a special event in
specified Park buildings;
(2)(A) the maximum number of events that can be held per
month; and
(B) appropriate National Park Service staffing levels
necessary to ensure public safety and resource protection
during such events;
(3) liability insurance in an amount sufficient to protect
the interests of the United States that lists the United
States as additionally insured;
(4) a provision stating that the Federal Government and
agents and employees of the Federal Government will not be
held liable for claims for damages or suits for any injuries
or deaths from any cause resulting from the occupancy and use
of specified Park buildings by the Foundation;
(5) a provision allowing for the modification or
cancellation of the terms and conditions of the agreement,
except that any modified agreement shall still comply with
the terms and conditions described in subparagraphs (1)
through (4); and
(6) any other terms and conditions as the Secretary
considers appropriate.
(c) Use.--Private events hosted at the Park or in Park
buildings through an agreement entered into under subsection
(a)--
(1) shall be limited to activities--
(A) consistent with the purposes of the Park; and
(B) compatible with National Park Service programs;
(2) shall not include activities that degrade the
integrity, appearance, or purposes of the Park; and
(3) shall not take place during times or in locations that
prevent or disrupt public use or access to the Park or Park
buildings.
(d) Recovery of Costs.--In entering into an agreement under
subsection (a), the Secretary--
(1) shall charge a fee to cover the cost of maintaining the
Park and Park buildings with respect to wear and tear
resulting from the private events; and
(2) notwithstanding any other provision of law, may recover
all costs incurred as a result of the private events and use
of the Park and Park buildings, including maintenance,
utilities, administrative expenses, security, and personnel
costs.
(e) National Park Service-Sponsored Events.--Nothing in
this Act prevents the National Park Service from hosting
events or issuing permits to other individuals or entities
for special events or otherwise, as appropriate, in the Park
or Park buildings.
(f) Sunset.--
(1) In general.--The authority to enter into and carry out
an agreement with the Foundation pursuant to this Act shall
sunset on the date that is 7 years after the date of
enactment of this Act.
(2) Effect on existing agreement.--Any existing agreement
entered into under this section shall terminate,
notwithstanding any terms within such agreement, on the date
that is 7 years after the date of enactment of this Act.
(g) Saving Clause.--Nothing in this Act affects any other
authority of the Secretary to issue special use permits or
agreements.
(h) Not later than 4 years after the date of enactment of
this Act, the Secretary shall submit to the Committee on
Natural Resources of the House of Representatives and the
Committee on Energy and Natural Resources of the Senate a
report evaluating the implementation of this Act, including
the--
(1) operational impacts of the agreement on visitor access,
security, staffing, and facilities management; and
(2) financial implications of the agreement, including fees
collected and costs recovered.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from
Virginia (Mr. Wittman) and the gentlewoman from Maryland (Ms. Elfreth)
each will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Virginia.
General Leave
Mr. WITTMAN. Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members
may have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and
include extraneous material on H.R. 5254, the bill now under
consideration.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentleman from Virginia?
There was no objection.
Mr. WITTMAN. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may
consume.
Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 5254, the Gateway
Partnership Act. This is bipartisan legislation sponsored by
Representatives Bell and Wagner of Missouri. This bill creates an
innovative new model for public-private partnerships at our national
parks by authorizing the National Park Service to enter into an
agreement with the Gateway Arch Park Foundation to host events and
community programming at Gateway Arch National Park.
Gateway Arch towers over the city of St. Louis, Missouri, and
welcomes millions of visitors each year to the first city built across
the Mississippi River. With its silver curve soaring over 600-feet high
across the riverbank, Gateway Arch serves as a reminder of the grit and
bravery our Nation's early pioneers showed when they left all that they
had and all that they knew behind to venture out toward the American
West. The arch also links America's original pioneer spirit of the past
with the drive to forge new futures today.
Recently, the park's main philanthropic partnership, the Gateway Arch
Park Foundation, completed a trailblazing, multimillion-dollar public-
private partnership that reconnected the city and waterfront area and
created a new visitor center and green spaces. It also revitalized
historic buildings around Gateway Arch.
H.R. 5254 helps ensure that these newly renovated facilities, such as
the Old Courthouse and Arch Visitor Center, are used to their full
potential by allowing the foundation to host events in these spaces.
Allowing the foundation to fully utilize these facilities would not
only create new jobs but also generate an estimated $780,000 in
additional revenue for the park. H.R. 5254 does this while maintaining
strict guardrails around the usage of the park to ensure public access
is not impeded and no park resources are damaged during these events.
The bill is narrow, limited, and bipartisan. It is a commonsense way
to leverage private expertise and local investment to strengthen a
signature national park and generate new revenue to support its
operation.
Madam Speaker, I encourage my colleagues to support H.R. 5254, and I
reserve the balance of my time.
Ms. ELFRETH. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may
consume.
Madam Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 5254, offered by my
colleagues Representative Bell and Representative Wagner of Missouri,
which will support the relationship between Gateway Arch National Park
and the Gateway Arch Park Foundation.
The Gateway Arch Park Foundation was formed in 2009 to help fund and
coordinate the CityArchRiver project, a transformational revamp of the
Mississippi Riverfront and Kiener Plaza, right under the iconic arch,
that greatly improved public safety and the overall visitor experience.
Since then, the foundation's partnership with the National Park
Service has thrived. This is exactly the type of public-private
partnership we need across all of our national parks.
As the official philanthropic partner of the park, the foundation
hosts several popular events, including Blues at the Arch and
Winterfest, both of which draw thousands of visitors and generate
significant revenue that is reinvested back into supporting the park.
The bill we are considering today establishes a new pilot program
that would allow the foundation to host private events at Gateway Arch
National Park.
This will allow the foundation to host more events and potentially
generate even more resources to support the ongoing management of the
park.
The authority granted by the bill is a powerful tool when used
appropriately, but it cannot become an excuse or rationale to supplant
or cut funding from the National Park Service or its staff, especially
now when the agency is being pushed to the limit by this
administration.
Public-private partnerships like this one managed by the Gateway Arch
Foundation are essential. They provide critical support through the
National Park System, but we must remember that the agency has lost
nearly 25 percent of its full-time staff since the beginning of last
year. That figure is neither sustainable nor rational.
Expanding partnership tools should not be an excuse to replace the
expertise and experience of the dedicated professionals at the National
Park Service.
With that context in mind, this bill requires careful guardrails.
Thanks to the cooperation of my colleagues across the aisle, H.R. 5254
will allow managers of the Gateway Arch to test out a time-limited
authority. The bill includes significant safeguards for National Park
Service-sponsored events, cost recovery authority, and robust reporting
requirements so we can understand the full scope and impact of this new
pilot project.
[[Page H2521]]
Allowing a philanthropic partner to have exclusive after-hours access
to park facilities will be a unique arrangement within the National
Park System. I thank the majority for working with us to ensure it
includes the right checks and balances.
Madam Speaker, I also thank my colleague and friend Representative
Bell from Missouri for introducing this legislation and advocating for
his hometown national park, hopefully creating a blueprint that could
be utilized across this country.
While most Americans know about the iconic St. Louis Arch, famously
known as the Gateway to the West, not everyone knows about the full
history of the site. The park is also home to the Old Courthouse, the
site where Dred Scott first tried and unsuccessfully sued for his
freedom from slavery.
This is a transformational American story. While President Trump is
doing his worst to sanitize American history and remove signs at
national parks across the country, boosting its visibility is more
important now than ever.
Celebrating 250 years of this great Nation means honoring and
acknowledging the progress we have made since the days of the Dred
Scott decision, not burying the truth or the full telling of our shared
history.
Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this legislation, and
I yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. WITTMAN. Madam Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time.
Madam Speaker, by creating a time-limited pilot program allowing
private philanthropic partners to host events at park facilities, H.R.
5254 creates an innovative new model for improved public access, better
visitor experience, and new revenue streams to support park operations.
This bill will create jobs, boost the local economy, and provide new
opportunities to celebrate America's 250th birthday at one of the most
iconic national park destinations in the Midwest.
Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 5254, and I yield
back the balance of my time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the
gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Wittman) that the House suspend the rules
and pass the bill, H.R. 5254, as amended.
The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the
rules were suspended and the bill, as amended, was passed.
A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.
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