aware

The 1-Minute Brief

What: Executive Order 14314, "Making America Beautiful Again by Improving Our National Parks," directs the Secretary of the Interior to increase park entrance and pass fees for international visitors. The stated goal is to use the additional revenue to fund park maintenance and improvements while keeping access affordable for U.S. residents. It also gives preferential access to U.S. residents for permits and revokes a 2017 memorandum on diversity and inclusion in national parks.

Money: The order itself does not appropriate funds but directs a fee increase. The Interior Department's fiscal year 2026 budget proposal estimated that a surcharge on foreign visitors could generate over $90 million annually. This new revenue is intended to address the National Park Service's (NPS) massive maintenance backlog, which was estimated at $23.263 billion for fiscal year 2023.

Your Impact: For most Americans, the direct impact will be preferential treatment in lotteries or permitting systems for high-demand park entries and activities. The order also aims to keep their entrance fees low. Foreign tourists, however, will face higher costs to visit U.S. national parks.

Status: Signed and issued by the President on July 3, 2025. It is now in the implementation phase by the Department of the Interior.

What's Actually in the Bill

Executive Order 14314 is a directive from the President to the Department of the Interior and other relevant agencies to change the fee and access structure for America's national parks. The order's primary mechanism is to differentiate between domestic and foreign visitors, aiming to generate revenue from tourism to fund park infrastructure and conservation.

Core Provisions:

Increased Fees for Foreign Tourists: The Secretary of the Interior is ordered to develop a strategy to increase entrance and recreation pass fees for non-U.S. residents. This includes raising the price of the "America the Beautiful" pass for international visitors.
Revenue for Park Improvement: Any additional money raised from these fee hikes must be used to improve infrastructure, enhance enjoyment, or increase access to federal recreational areas, consistent with existing law.
Affordability for U.S. Residents: The order directs the Interior and Agriculture Departments to improve services and ensure affordability for American visitors.
Preferential Access for Americans: The Interior Secretary is instructed to review all recreational access rules (like permits or lotteries) and grant U.S. residents "preferential treatment."
Maintenance Backlog Action: The order calls for the full implementation of the National Parks and Public Land Legacy Restoration Fund, established by the Great American Outdoors Act, to address the $23.263 billion maintenance backlog.
Revocation of Previous Policy: The order explicitly revokes the Presidential Memorandum from January 12, 2017, which was aimed at "Promoting Diversity and Inclusion in Our National Parks, National Forests, and Other Public Lands and Waters."

Stated Purpose (from the Sponsors):

The administration's stated policy is to preserve national parks for future generations of Americans.

To increase revenue and improve the recreational experience by raising fees on nonresidents.
To improve affordability and services for U.S. residents.
To expand opportunities to enjoy all of America's national treasures, including underutilized areas.
To address the significant maintenance backlog within the National Park System.

Key Facts:

Affected Sectors: Tourism, Recreation, Government.
Timeline: The order was signed on July 3, 2025, and directs the Secretary of the Interior to develop the new fee strategy. No specific implementation date for the fee increase is set in the document.
Scope: The order applies to all areas in the National Park System that charge entrance or recreation fees. The NPS manages 433 units across all 50 states and U.S. territories.

The Backstory: How We Got Here

Timeline of Events:

The Era of Growing Backlogs (2010s-Present):

For years, the National Park Service has struggled with a ballooning deferred maintenance backlog, which includes everything from crumbling roads and bridges to outdated water systems and visitor centers. By fiscal year 2023, this backlog had soared to over $23 billion. This financial strain exists even as park visitation has reached record highs, with nearly 332 million visits in 2024.

In 2020, Congress passed the Great American Outdoors Act (GAOA) with broad bipartisan support. This landmark legislation created the National Parks and Public Land Legacy Restoration Fund, providing up to $1.9 billion per year for five years to address deferred maintenance across federal lands, with the NPS as a primary beneficiary. The GAOA also fully and permanently funded the Land and Water Conservation Fund at $900 million annually. Despite these investments, the maintenance needs remain extensive.

The Political Calculus:

The idea of charging foreign visitors more is not new and has been proposed by policy groups as a way to generate significant revenue without placing a further burden on U.S. taxpayers. Proponents argue that visitors from other countries do not pay U.S. taxes that help fund the parks and that differential pricing is a common practice in other countries' national parks. This executive order brings that proposal into action, framing it as an "America First" policy to benefit domestic citizens directly.

The revocation of the 2017 diversity and inclusion memorandum signals a shift in priorities. The Obama-era memo aimed to make public lands more welcoming to all demographics and diversify the NPS workforce. Its rescission aligns with a broader administrative goal of undoing previous policies and regulations.

Your Real-World Impact

The Direct Answer: This directly affects international tourists planning to visit U.S. national parks and, to a lesser extent, Americans who compete for high-demand park permits.

What Could Change for You:

Potential Benefits:

Easier Access to Popular Spots: If you've ever lost out on a lottery for a popular hike or campsite, like Angel's Landing in Zion, this order could increase your odds by giving preference to U.S. residents.
Better Maintained Parks: If the fee increase successfully generates substantial new revenue as projected ($90+ million annually), that money will be reinvested into fixing roads, trails, and facilities, which could improve the quality and safety of your visit.
Stable Entry Fees: The order is designed to keep entrance fees low for Americans by shifting more of the funding burden to international visitors.

Possible Disruptions or Costs:

Short-term (1-2 years):

Uncertainty in Travel Planning: The exact fee increases and the mechanics of "preferential treatment" are not yet defined, which could create confusion for both international and domestic visitors planning trips.
Potential for Crowding Shifts: While the goal is to manage access, changes in fee structures could shift visitor patterns in unpredictable ways.

Long-term:

There are few direct long-term costs for U.S. citizens. The primary long-term change would be the permanent shift in who shoulders the cost of park maintenance and the formalizing of preferential access for Americans.

Who's Most Affected:

Primary Groups: International tourists visiting the U.S. and American citizens who frequent popular national parks that use reservation or lottery systems.
Secondary Groups: Tour operators, local businesses and economies near national parks that rely heavily on international tourism.
Regional Impact: States with iconic, world-famous national parks like California, Wyoming, Arizona, and Utah will see the most significant impact from the new fee structure.

Bottom Line: For American citizens, this order could make it slightly easier and cheaper to enjoy national parks; for foreign visitors, it will become more expensive.

Where the Parties Stand

Republican Position: "America First Parks"

Core Stance: Generally supportive, viewing the order as a practical way to fund park maintenance while prioritizing American citizens.

Their Arguments:

✓ U.S. taxpayers already support the park system, so it's fair to ask international tourists to pay a larger share.
✓ The added revenue will help address the critical maintenance backlog without raising taxes.
✓ Giving Americans preference for access to their own national treasures is common sense.

Legislative Strategy: As this is an Executive Order, the legislative branch is not directly involved. However, Republican members of Congress are likely to publicly support the measure and defend it against criticism. They would oppose any legislative attempts to block it.

Democratic Position: "Parks for All"

Core Stance: Likely critical, viewing the order as potentially discriminatory and unwelcoming, while also questioning the administration's overall commitment to conservation.

Their Arguments:

✓ Praised the original Great American Outdoors Act and will support continued funding to address the maintenance backlog.
⚠️ Concerned that revoking the 2017 diversity and inclusion memorandum is a step backward for making parks accessible and welcoming to all Americans.
✗ Argue that charging foreign visitors significantly more could harm international tourism and the U.S.'s global standing. They may also point to proposed budget cuts to the NPS as evidence that the administration is not truly committed to the park system.

Legislative Strategy: Democrats in Congress may hold oversight hearings to scrutinize the implementation of the order and its impact on tourism and park operations. They might introduce legislation to limit or reverse the fee differential or to codify the principles of the revoked diversity memo.

Constitutional Check

The Verdict: ✓ Constitutional

Basis of Authority:

The President is issuing this order to the Secretary of the Interior, an executive branch official. Congress, through various laws like the National Park Service Organic Act and the Federal Lands Recreation Enhancement Act (FLREA), has delegated authority to the Secretary of the Interior to manage the national parks and set fees. The President's authority here is primarily directive over his own cabinet.

Relevant Portion of the Constitution: Article II, Section 1 of the U.S. Constitution grants the President "the executive Power," which includes the authority to oversee and direct the executive branch.

Constitutional Implications:

[Delegated Authority]: The executive branch has wide latitude to set fees and manage the parks, as long as it acts consistently with the laws passed by Congress. FLREA specifically gives the Secretary of the Interior the power to establish and collect recreation fees.
[Precedent]: There is ample precedent for the executive branch setting and adjusting fee structures for federal lands and services. The core of this order—directing a cabinet secretary to develop a strategy within existing law—is a standard executive function.
[Federalism]: This action relates to the management of federal lands and therefore does not overstep into powers reserved for the states.

Potential Legal Challenges:

Legal challenges are unlikely to succeed. A plaintiff would have to prove that the executive order either exceeds the authority granted by Congress or violates a specific constitutional right. While opponents may argue the fee structure is discriminatory, courts generally give deference to the federal government in matters of immigration and national policy, and distinctions between citizens and non-citizens are often permissible. The most likely challenges would come from tourism industry groups arguing the policy is arbitrary and harmful to business, but this is a difficult legal argument to win.

Your Action Options

TO SUPPORT THIS EXECUTIVE ORDER

5-Minute Actions:

Contact the Department of the Interior: Send a message to the Secretary of the Interior expressing your support. [Contact information can be found on the department's website, doi.gov.] "I am writing to express my support for Executive Order 14314. Prioritizing Americans and generating revenue from foreign tourism to fix our parks is the right approach."
Share Support on Social Media: Voice your approval online and share news articles favorable to the order.

30-Minute Deep Dive:

Write a Detailed Email: Send a more thorough message to the Interior Secretary and the White House.
Join an Organization: Look for conservative or fiscal policy groups that advocate for user-fee-based funding models and "America First" policies.

TO OPPOSE THIS EXECUTIVE ORDER

5-Minute Actions:

Call Your Rep/Senators: Capitol Switchboard: (202) 224-3121. "I'm a constituent from [Your City/Town] and I am concerned about Executive Order 14314. I urge [Rep./Sen. Name] to conduct oversight on this new policy that could harm tourism and I oppose the revocation of the diversity and inclusion memorandum."

30-Minute Deep Dive:

Write a Letter to the Editor: Submit a letter to your local newspaper arguing that national parks are a global treasure and should remain welcoming to all, or express concern over the repeal of the diversity and inclusion initiative.
Join an Organization: Support conservation groups like the National Parks Conservation Association or civil rights organizations that may oppose the measure's exclusionary aspects. Relevant congressional committees to contact include the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources and the House Committee on Natural Resources.