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FIRST ON FOX: President Donald Trump’s executive order increasing fees at National Parks for foreign tourists could soon be made permanent by a new bill led by Indiana Senator Jim Banks.
The Patriot Parks Act looks to address the U.S. National Park Service’s (NPS) $23 billion maintenance backlog that threatens repairs to visitor facilities, trails, roads, and NPS conservation needs.
“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,” Banks told Fox News Digital. “This bill codifies President Trump’s executive order and helps protect our national treasures for future generations.”
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Some factors that contributed to the major deferred maintenance shortfall in funding include aging infrastructure of equipment and facilities, federal budget restraints and cuts, and a steadily increasing number of visitors to parks across the US.
The fight to erase the roughly $23 billion backlog has been a key issue in Congress for a number of years.
The landmark Great American Outdoors Act, which was introduced in 2019 by then-Senator Cory Gardner, R-Colorado, and sitting Senator Steve Daines, R-Montana, included $6.5 billion for NPS from 2021-2025. As that funding is set to expire and foot traffic at national parks increases, the Patriot Parks Act could play a new role in reining in the maintenance backlog.
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The NPS recorded 331.9 million visits in 2024 alone, with roughly one-third of those visitors from outside the US. There are more than 400 national parks in the US, which include landmarks like the Grand Canyon, Yellowstone, and Yosemite.
On July 3, 2025, President Donald Trump signed an executive order titled: “Making America Beautiful Again by Improving Our National Parks,” which established an increased fee for international travelers.
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The NPS operates under the US Department of Interior, led by Secretary Doug Burgum, who posted to X that the executive order “will ensure our parks stay accessible, sustainable, and protected for generations to come.”
A House version of the legislation is expected to be introduced by Congressman Riley Moore, R-West Virginia, making the bill a bicameral effort to back up President Trump’s executive order.
“From the New River Gorge in my home state to Shenandoah, the Great Smoky Mountains, the Everglades, and the Grand Canyon – God blessed our nation with a tremendous natural heritage,” Moore told Fox News Digital.
“We owe it to future generations to ensure these natural marvels are protected.”
Preston Mizell is a writer with Fox News Digital covering breaking news. Story tips can be sent to [email protected] and on X @MizellPreston
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