Congress·In Committee·S. 1037
PARC Act
National Parks: Cash Payment Requirement for Entrance Fees
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Stalled
No legislative action in over 90 days.
Legislative Progress
Senate
Key Points
- This bill, introduced in the Senate, would require every National Park that charges an entrance fee to accept cash from visitors. Currently, some parks have moved to 'cashless' systems that only take credit cards or digital payments.
- The change is designed to help people who do not have bank accounts, credit cards, or reliable smartphone access. It aims to ensure that all Americans can visit public lands regardless of how they choose to pay for their entry.
- Supporters of the bill argue that because U.S. cash is legal tender, government-run parks should not be allowed to turn it away. This addresses concerns that digital-only payment systems unfairly exclude certain families, seniors, and low-income travelers.
- If this bill becomes law, the Secretary of the Interior would be responsible for making sure every park unit follows the rule. This would apply to major sites like Yellowstone and Grand Canyon, as well as smaller national monuments that charge fees.
Impact Analysis
Govbase has not yet run an impact analysis on this legislation.
Milestones
2 milestones2 actions
Mar 13, 2025
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.
Sent to a congressional committee for expert review. The committee decides whether this bill moves forward.
Mar 13, 2025
Introduced in Senate
The bill was officially filed and given a number. It now enters the legislative queue.
Votes
No votes have been recorded for this legislation yet.
News
No related news coverage found for this legislation yet.
Source Information
Document Type
Congressional Bill
Official Title
PARC Act
Bill NumberS 1037
Congress119th Congress
ChamberSenate
Latest ActionRead twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.
Data Sources
Sponsor
Cosponsors
(7)R: 7
Analysis generated by AI. Always verify with official sources.