[House Report 119-294]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
119th Congress } { Report
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
1st Session } { 119-294
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SEMIQUINCENTENNIAL TOURISM AND ACCESS TO
RECREATION SITES ACT
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September 15, 2025.--Committed to the Committee of the Whole House on
the State of the Union and ordered to be printed
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Mr. Westerman, from the Committee on Natural Resources,
submitted the following
R E P O R T
[To accompany H.R. 4285]
The Committee on Natural Resources, to whom was referred
the bill (H.R. 4285) to direct the Secretary of the Interior to
designate an entrance-fee free date in 2026 at National Park
Service sites in order to celebrate the 250th anniversary of
the United States of America, having considered the same,
reports favorably thereon with an amendment and recommends that
the bill as amended do pass.
The amendment is as follows:
Strike all after the enacting clause and insert the
following:
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Semiquincentennial Tourism and Access
to Recreation Sites Act'' or the ``STARS Act''.
SEC. 2. WAIVED FEES AT PUBLIC RECREATIONAL SITES IN HONOR OF AMERICA'S
250TH ANNIVERSARY.
(a) In General.--In honor of the semiquincentennial of the United
States of America--
(1) the Secretary of the Interior shall--
(A) designate September 17, 2026, as an entrance-fee
free date on which admission is free to all visitors
with respect to each National Park Service site that
charges an entrance fee; and
(B) waive standard amenity recreation fees on
September 17, 2026, for each visitor to each site
managed by the Bureau of Land Management, United States
Fish and Wildlife Service, or Bureau of Reclamation
that charges a standard amenity recreation fee; and
(2) the Secretary of Agriculture shall waive standard amenity
recreation fees for September 17, 2026, for each visitor to
each site managed by the Forest Service that charges a standard
amenity recreation fee.
(b) Definitions.--In this section:
(1) Entrance fee.--The term ``entrance fee'' has the meaning
given the term in section 802 of the Federal Lands Recreation
Enhancement Act (16 U.S.C. 6801).
(2) Standard amenity recreation fee.--The term ``standard
amenity recreation fee'' has the meaning given the term in
section 802 of the Federal Lands Recreation Enhancement Act (16
U.S.C. 6801).
PURPOSE OF THE LEGISLATION
The purpose of H.R. 4285 is to direct the Secretary of the
Interior to designate an entrance-fee free date in 2026 at
National Park Service sites in order to celebrate the 250th
anniversary of the United States of America.
BACKGROUND AND NEED FOR LEGISLATION
Introduced by Representative Celeste Maloy (R-UT), H.R.
4285, the ``Semiquincentennial Tourism and Access to Recreation
Sites Act,'' or ``STARS Act,'' waives certain fees for National
Park Service (NPS), Bureau of Land Management (BLM), U.S. Fish
and Wildlife Service (USFWS), Bureau of Reclamation (BOR), and
U.S. Forest Service (USFS) sites in celebration of the 250th
anniversary of America's independence. Specifically, the
legislation designates September 17, 2026, as a fee-free day at
NPS units that charge an entrance fee and waives standard
amenity recreation fees at BLM, USFWS, BOR, and USFS sites.
September 17th is Constitution Day and Citizenship Day, as
it commemorates the 238th anniversary of the signing of the
U.S. Constitution.\1\ By recognizing these two foundational
milestones on a single day, the bill encourages Americans to
reflect on the nation's origins, civic values, and democratic
institutions. This legislation also advances the goals of
President Trump's Executive Order on ``Celebrating America's
250th Birthday'' by promoting broad public participation in the
Semiquincentennial celebrations and expanding public access to
sites that conserve and interpret our nation's heritage.\2\
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\1\``Constitution of the United States (1787),'' U.S. National
Archives and Records Administration, https://www.archives.gov/
milestone-documents/constitution. U.S. Citizenship and Immigration
Services, ``Constitution Day and Citizenship Day,'' https://
www.uscis.gov/citizenship/
resources-for-educational-programs/constitution-day-and-citizenship-
day.
\2\``Celebrating America's 250th Birthday,'' Executive Order 14189,
January 29, 2025, https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2025/02/03/
2025-02231/celebrating-americas-250th-birthday.
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The Federal Lands Recreation Enhancement Act (FLREA)
currently administers the collection of entrance fees and
standard amenity recreation fees at federal recreational lands
and waters.\3\ While NPS units charge various entrance fees,
other land management agencies charge standard amenity
recreation fees, which are fees for specific areas that contain
developed recreation infrastructure such as parking areas,
restroom facilities, and picnic tables.\4\ FLREA already allows
the Secretary of the Interior to provide discounted or free
admission days to federal recreational lands and waters;
however, Congress can also grant the authority to waive
entrance fees on specific days.\5\ The ``STARS Act'' builds on
NPS's long-standing practice of hosting fee-free days to
increase accessibility and commemorate significant national
events.\6\
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\3\16 U.S.C. 6804(e).
\4\Id.
\5\Id.
\6\Office of Communications, ``Start Planning Your 2025 National
Park Trip,'' U.S. National Park Service, https://www.nps.gov/orgs/1207/
start-planning-your-2025-national-park-trip.htm.
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NPS manages over 400 units that conserve the country's
natural landscapes and protect historical sites, providing
Americans with opportunities to explore themes of liberty,
freedom, and resilience in places that connect past and
present.\7\ Similarly, BLM, USFWS, BOR, and USFS sites offer
abundant recreation opportunities for families to hike, bike,
fish, hunt, rock climb, off-road, and connect with nature. By
waiving entrance and standard amenity recreation fees on
September 17, 2026, federal land management agencies would
offer a unifying, nationwide opportunity for Americans to visit
public lands, celebrate the nation's founding, and reflect on
the principles that continue to shape its future.
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\7\Id.
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COMMITTEE ACTION
H.R. 4285 was introduced on July 2, 2025, by Representative
Celeste Maloy (R-UT). The bill was referred to the Committee on
Natural Resources, and within the Committee to the Subcommittee
on Federal Lands. On July 16, 2025, the Subcommittee on Federal
Lands held a hearing on the bill. On July 23, 2025, the
Committee on Natural Resources met to consider the bill. The
Subcommittee on Federal Lands was discharged from further
consideration of H.R. 4285 by unanimous consent. Rep. Pete
Stauber (R-MN) offered an Amendment in the Nature of a
Substitute designated Stauber_019 ANS. The Amendment in the
Nature of a Substitute was agreed to by unanimous consent. The
bill, as amended, was ordered favorably reported to the House
of Representatives by unanimous consent.
HEARINGS
For the purposes of clause 3(c)(6) of House rule XIII, the
following hearing was used to develop or consider this measure:
hearing by the Subcommittee on Federal Lands held on July 16,
2025.
SECTION-BY-SECTION ANALYSIS
Section 1. Short title
Section 1 names the legislation the ``Semiquincentennial
Tourism and Access to Recreation Sites Act'' or the ``STARS
Act.''
Section 2. Waived fees at public recreational sites in honor of
America's 250th anniversary
Section 2 directs the Secretary of the Interior to
designate September 17, 2026, as an entrance-fee free day at
all NPS sites that charge an entrance fee in honor of the
semiquincentennial of the United States of America. Section 2
also requires the Secretaries of the Interior and Agriculture
to waive standard amenity recreation fees on September 17,
2026, for all sites managed by the BLM, USFWS, BOR, and USFS
that charge such fees. Section 2 defines ``entrance fee'' and
``standard amenity recreation fee'' as those terms are used in
section 802 of FLREA.\8\
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\8\16 U.S.C. 6801.
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COMMITTEE OVERSIGHT FINDINGS AND RECOMMENDATIONS
Regarding clause 2(b)(1) of rule X and clause 3(c)(1) of
rule XIII of the Rules of the House of Representatives, the
Committee on Natural Resources' oversight findings and
recommendations are reflected in the body of this report.
COMPLIANCE WITH HOUSE RULE XIII AND CONGRESSIONAL
BUDGET ACT
1. Cost of Legislation and the Congressional Budget Act.
Pursuant to clause 3(c)(2) of House rule XIII and section
308(a) of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974, and pursuant to
clause 3(c)(3) of House rule XIII and section 402 of the
Congressional Budget Act of 1974, the Committee has requested
but not received from the Director of the Congressional Budget
Office a budgetary analysis and a cost estimate of this bill.
2. General Performance Goals and Objectives. As required by
clause 3(c)(4) of rule XIII, the general performance goal or
objective of this bill is to direct the Secretary of the
Interior to designate an entrance-fee free date in 2026 at
National Park Service sites in order to celebrate the 250th
anniversary of the United States of America.
EARMARK STATEMENT
This bill does not contain any Congressional earmarks,
limited tax benefits, or limited tariff benefits as defined
under clause 9(e), 9(f), and 9(g) of rule XXI of the Rules of
the House of Representatives.
UNFUNDED MANDATES REFORM ACT STATEMENT
An estimate of federal mandates prepared by the Director of
the Congressional Budget Office pursuant to section 423 of the
Unfunded Mandates Reform Act was not made available to the
Committee in time for the filing of this report. The Chair of
the Committee shall cause such estimate to be printed in the
Congressional Record upon its receipt by the Committee, if such
estimate is not publicly available on the Congressional Budget
Office website.
EXISTING PROGRAMS
Directed Rule Making. This bill does not contain any
directed rule makings.
Duplication of Existing Programs. This bill does not
establish or reauthorize a program of the federal government
known to be duplicative of another program. Such program was
not included in any report from the Government Accountability
Office to Congress pursuant to section 21 of Public Law 111-139
or identified in the most recent Catalog of Federal Domestic
Assistance published pursuant to the Federal Program
Information Act (Public Law 95-220, as amended by Public Law
98-169) as relating to other programs.
APPLICABILITY TO LEGISLATIVE BRANCH
The Committee finds that the legislation does not relate to
the terms and conditions of employment or access to public
services or accommodations within the meaning of section
102(b)(3) of the Congressional Accountability Act.
PREEMPTION OF STATE, LOCAL OR TRIBAL LAW
Any preemptive effect of this bill over state, local, or
tribal law is intended to be consistent with the bill's
purposes and text and the Supremacy Clause of Article VI of the
U.S. Constitution.
CHANGES IN EXISTING LAW
As ordered reported by the Committee on Natural Resources,
H.R. 4285 would make no changes in existing law.
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