Protecting America’s Treasures by Raising Inflow from Overseas Tourists (PATRIOT) Parks Act

The PATRIOT Parks Act would amend the Federal Lands Recreation Enhancement Act to let the Secretary of the Interior add an entrance-fee surcharge for international visitors at units of the National Park System. It defines who qualifies as an international visitor (nonimmigrant noncitizens admitted under specific INA provisions) and allows park units to set a surcharge amount designed to maximize unit revenue while keeping international visitation viable. The surcharge could be collected by standard fee processes or through a third-party travel vendor, and it can be suspended, modified, or tiered over time, including potential minimum-percentage increases. The act also requires the surcharge to be separate from visa fees and not administered by the State Department or Homeland Security. Proceeds from the surcharge would stay with the individual park unit to fund maintenance, visitor services, staffing, and related needs. In addition, the bill would extend a surcharge to sale of National Parks and Federal Recreational Lands Passes to international visitors, with those proceeds deposited into the National Parks and Public Land Legacy Restoration Fund. There are exceptions, including no surcharge for the Washington Monument and no surcharge for entry by nationals of a country for certain International Peace Parks under a governing MoU.