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Summary
- Authorizes the Secretary of the Interior to enter into a one-time agreement with the Gateway Arch Park Foundation to host private events in Gateway Arch National Park buildings for up to five years.
- Requires the agreement to include terms protecting Park resources and values, such as limits on the number of events per month, specified dates and times for exclusive use, required liability insurance, and appropriate National Park Service staffing levels.
- Specifies that private events must be consistent with the Park's purposes and compatible with National Park Service programs, and cannot degrade the Park or prevent public access.
- Requires the Secretary to charge fees to cover all costs associated with the private events, including maintenance, utilities, security, and personnel.
- Allows other individuals and entities to continue hosting events or obtaining permits for special events in the Park, separate from the Foundation agreement.
- Establishes a sunset date of seven years after enactment, requiring the Secretary to report to Congress after four years on the operational and financial impacts of the agreement.
AI-generated plain-language summary of the bill text — neutral, and may be imperfect. See the full text below for the exact wording.
Sponsor (1)
- Rep. Bell, Wesley [D-MO-1] (D-MO)
2 cosponsors
- Rep. Budzinski, Nikki [D-IL-13] (D-IL)
- Rep. Wagner, Ann [R-MO-2] (R-MO)
Actions (18)
- Jul 29, 2026 Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. Ordered to be reported without amendment favorably. · senate
- Jul 21, 2026 Committee on Energy and Natural Resources Subcommittee on National Parks. Hearings held. · senate
- Mar 17, 2026 Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. · senate
- Mar 16, 2026 Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection. · house
- Mar 16, 2026 On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by voice vote. (text: CR H2519-2520) · house
- Mar 16, 2026 Passed/agreed to in House: On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by voice vote. (text: CR H2519-2520)
- Mar 16, 2026 DEBATE - The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on H.R. 5254. · house
- Mar 16, 2026 Considered under suspension of the rules. (consideration: CR H2519-2521) · house
- Mar 16, 2026 Mr. Wittman moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended. · house
- Mar 2, 2026 Placed on the Union Calendar, Calendar No. 461. · house
- Mar 2, 2026 Reported (Amended) by the Committee on Natural Resources. H. Rept. 119-536. · house
- Jan 22, 2026 Ordered to be Reported in the Nature of a Substitute (Amended) by Unanimous Consent. · house
- Jan 22, 2026 Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held · house
- Jan 22, 2026 Subcommittee on Federal Lands Discharged · house
- Dec 2, 2025 Subcommittee Hearings Held · house
- Nov 25, 2025 Referred to the Subcommittee on Federal Lands. · house
- Sep 10, 2025 Referred to the House Committee on Natural Resources. · house
- Sep 10, 2025 Introduced in House
More bills on these subjects (8)
Other bills that carry the most legislative subjects in common with this one (topical discovery — distinct from the procedural related bills above).
Similar bills (6)
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Text versions (4)
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Committee action
What happened to this bill in committee — the meetings where it was considered and every recorded vote taken on it.
Meetings where this bill was on the agenda
- Business meeting to consider S.365 and H.R.1729, bills to amend the John D. Dingell, Jr. Conservation, Management, and Recreation Act to allow for additional entities to be eligible to complete the maintenance work on Bolts Ditch and the Bolts Ditch Headgate within the Holy Cross Wilderness, Colorado, S.764, to provide for the designation of certain wilderness areas, recreation management areas, and conservation areas in the State of Colorado, S.791, to establish the Justice Thurgood Marshall National Historic Site in the State of Maryland as an affiliated area of the National Park System, S.888, to designate certain land administered by the Bureau of Land Management and the Forest Service in the State of Oregon as wilderness and national recreation areas, to withdraw certain land located in Curry County and Josephine County, Oregon, from all forms of entry, appropriation, or disposal under the public land laws, location, entry, and patent under the mining laws, and operation under the mineral leasing and geothermal leasing laws, S.945, to amend the Smith River National Recreation Area Act to include certain additions to the Smith River National Recreation Area, to amend the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act to designate certain wild rivers in the State of Oregon, S.1005, to provide for conservation and economic development in the State of Nevada, S.1088, to provide that the memorial to commemorate the sacrifice and service of the women who worked on the home front to support the efforts of the United States military during World War II may be located on the National Mall, S.1195, to promote conservation, improve public land management, and provide for sensible development in Pershing County, Nevada, S.1257, to amend the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act to authorize the use of funds for certain additional Carey Act projects, S.1341, to amend the Colorado Wilderness Act of 1993 to add certain land to the Sarvis Creek Wilderness, S.1349, to withdraw the National Forest System land in the Ruby Mountains subdistrict of the Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest and the National Wildlife Refuge System land in Ruby Lake National Wildlife Refuge, Elko and White Pine Counties, Nevada, from operation under the mineral leasing laws, S.1476, to amend the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act to designate certain segments of the Gila River system in the State of New Mexico as components of the National Wild and Scenic Rivers System, to provide for the transfer of administrative jurisdiction over certain Federal land in the State of New Mexico, S.1737, to designate and expand wilderness areas in Olympic National Forest in the State of Washington, and to designate certain rivers in Olympic National Forest and Olympic National Park as wild and scenic rivers, S.1777, to amend the California Desert Protection Act of 1994 to expand the boundary of Joshua Tree National Park, to redesignate the Cottonwood Visitor Center at Joshua Tree National Park as the "Dianne Feinstein Visitor Center", S.1870, to adjust the boundary of the Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area to include the Rim of the Valley Corridor, S.2498, to authorize the Secretary of the Interior to extend certain leases within units of the National Park System without opening the lease to bidding, S.2767 and H.R.5254, bills to authorize the Secretary of the Interior to enter into an agreement with the Gateway Arch Park Foundation to host private events in Gateway Arch National Park buildings, S.2801, to authorize the Secretary of the Interior to conduct a study to assess the suitability and feasibility of designating the Canterbury Shaker Village National Heritage Area, S.2887, to amend the National Trails System Act to designate the Route 66 National Historic Trail, S.2933, to redesignate a playground in the New River Gorge National Park and Preserve in the State of West Virginia as the "Hearts of Gold Playground: In Honor of West Virginia Children and Families Impacted by Childhood Cancer", S.2968, to ensure access to certain public land, S.3194, to authorize the Secretary of the Interior to conduct a study to assess the suitability and feasibility of designating certain land in California as the Monterey Bay National Heritage Area, S.3313 and H.R.6365, bills to require the Secretary of the Interior to issue a right-of-way for an emergency exit on certain National Park Service land in the State of Virginia, S.3409, to reaffirm that the Bureau of Reclamation retains exclusive ownership, operational control, and financial responsibility for the Lower Yellowstone Fish Bypass Channel, ensuring long-term conservation of the endangered pallid sturgeon and other native aquatic species in the Yellowstone River while protecting the Lower Yellowstone Irrigation Project and District from undue financial and operational burdens, S.3635 and H.R. 7250, bills to reauthorize the Fort Peck Reservation Rural Water System Act of 2000, S.3715 and H.R.6380, bills to establish the Chiricahua N
- Hearings to examine S.1674, to modify the boundary of the Mammoth Cave National Park in the State of Kentucky, S.2498, to authorize the Secretary of the Interior to extend certain leases within units of the National Park System without opening the lease to bidding, S.2767 and H.R.5254, bills to authorize the Secretary of the Interior to enter into an agreement with the Gateway Arch Park Foundation to host private events in Gateway Arch National Park buildings, S.2801, to authorize the Secretary of the Interior to conduct a study to assess the suitability and feasibility of designating the Canterbury Shaker Village National Heritage Area, S.2887, to amend the National Trails System Act to designate the Route 66 National Historic Trail, S.2933, to redesignate a playground in the New River Gorge National Park and Preserve in the State of West Virginia as the "Hearts of Gold Playground: In Honor of West Virginia Children and Families Impacted by Childhood Cancer", S.2969, to amend title 54, United States Code, to provide that State law shall apply to the use of motor vehicles on roads within a System unit, S.3131, to provide for the inclusion on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall of the names of the lost crew members of the USS Frank E. Evans killed on June 3, 1969, S.3194, to authorize the Secretary of the Interior to conduct a study to assess the suitability and feasibility of designating certain land in California as the Monterey Bay National Heritage Area, S.3313 and H.R.6365, bills to require the Secretary of the Interior to issue a right-of-way for an emergency exit on certain National Park Service land in the State of Virginia, S.3371, to designate the Museum of the Blind People's Movement in Baltimore, Maryland, as the "National Museum of the Blind People's Movement", S.3456 and H.R.183, bills to amend the Federal Lands Recreation Enhancement Act to provide for a free annual National Parks and Federal Recreational Lands Pass for law enforcement officers and firefighters, S.3501, to amend the John D. Dingell, Jr. Conservation, Management, and Recreation Act to designate as a component of the National Heritage Area System the Calumet National Heritage Area in the States of Indiana and Illinois, S.3524, to amend title 54, United States Code, to modify certain cost-sharing requirements for grant programs under the American Battlefield Protection Program, S.3542, to amend the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act to designate the Upper Raritan River Watershed in the State of New Jersey for study for potential addition to the National Wild and Scenic Rivers System, S.3720, to amend the National Trails System Act to direct the Secretary of the Interior to conduct a study on the feasibility of designating the Bay Area Ridge as a national scenic trail, S.3785, to authorize direct emergency acquisition flexibilities for the National Park Service and Forest Service for the purpose of retaining, vetting, approving, and expediting contractor approval for the clearing, rebuilding, maintenance, and improvement of areas of the Grand Canyon National Park and Kaibab National Forest damaged by certain wildfires, S.3925, to establish the Julius Rosenwald and Rosenwald Schools National Historical Park, S.4238, to amend the John D. Dingell, Jr. Conservation, Management, and Recreation Act to designate as a component of the National Heritage Area System the Endless Mountains National Heritage Area in the State of Pennsylvania, S.4399, to provide for certain conveyances under the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act, S.4538, to amend the National Trails System Act to direct the Secretary of the Interior to conduct a study on the feasibility of designating Washington's Trail-1753 as a national historic trail, S.4595, to amend the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act to designate the Mullica River watershed in New Jersey for study for potential designation as a wild and scenic river, S.4767, to extend the authorization of the African American Civil Rights Network, H.R.2306, to reauthorize the Adams Memorial Commission, H.R.5729, to authorize direct emergency acquisition flexibilities for the National Park Service for the purpose of retaining, vetting, approving, and expediting contractor approval for the clearing, rebuilding, maintenance, and improvement of the Grand Canyon grounds that have been impacted by the Dragon Bravo Fire, and H.R.7618, to amend title 54, United States Code, to modify certain cost-sharing requirements for grant programs under the American Battlefield Protection Program.
Full text
AN ACT
To authorize the Secretary of the Interior to enter into an agreement with the Gateway Arch Park Foundation to host private events in Gateway Arch National Park buildings, and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the “Gateway Partnership Act”.
SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS.
In this Act:
(1) Foundation.—The term “Foundation” means the Gateway Arch Park Foundation, a nonprofit organization that serves as the official philanthropic partner of the Park.
(2) Park.—The term “Park” means Gateway Arch National Park.
(3) Park building.—The term “Park building” means—
(A) the Arch Visitor Center;
(B) the Old Courthouse; and
(C) any other building administered or managed by the Secretary as part of the Park that is open to the public.
(4) Secretary.—The term “Secretary” means the Secretary of the Interior.
SEC. 3. GATEWAY ARCH NATIONAL PARK PARTNER AGREEMENT PILOT PROJECT.
(a) In General.—The Secretary, in accordance with subsection (b), may enter into a one-time agreement for a period not to exceed five years with the Foundation to host private events at the Park, which may include the use of Park buildings.
(b) Terms and Conditions.—An agreement entered into under subsection (a) shall include terms and conditions to protect the resources and values of the Park, including—
(1) dates and times during which the Foundation may be the exclusive organization that holds a special event in specified Park buildings;
(2)(A) the maximum number of events that can be held per month; and
(B) appropriate National Park Service staffing levels necessary to ensure public safety and resource protection during such events;
(3) liability insurance in an amount sufficient to protect the interests of the United States that lists the United States as additionally insured;
(4) a provision stating that the Federal Government and agents and employees of the Federal Government will not be held liable for claims for damages or suits for any injuries or deaths from any cause resulting from the occupancy and use of specified Park buildings by the Foundation;
(5) a provision allowing for the modification or cancellation of the terms and conditions of the agreement, except that any modified agreement shall still comply with the terms and conditions described in subparagraphs (1) through
(4); and
(6) any other terms and conditions as the Secretary considers appropriate.
(c) Use.—Private events hosted at the Park or in Park buildings through an agreement entered into under subsection (a)—
(1) shall be limited to activities—
(A) consistent with the purposes of the Park; and
(B) compatible with National Park Service programs;
(2) shall not include activities that degrade the integrity, appearance, or purposes of the Park; and
(3) shall not take place during times or in locations that prevent or disrupt public use or access to the Park or Park buildings.
(d) Recovery of Costs.—In entering into an agreement under subsection (a), the Secretary—
(1) shall charge a fee to cover the cost of maintaining the Park and Park buildings with respect to wear and tear resulting from the private events; and
(2) notwithstanding any other provision of law, may recover all costs incurred as a result of the private events and use of the Park and Park buildings, including maintenance, utilities, administrative expenses, security, and personnel costs.
(e) National Park Service-Sponsored Events.—Nothing in this Act prevents the National Park Service from hosting events or issuing permits to other individuals or entities for special events or otherwise, as appropriate, in the Park or Park buildings.
(f) Sunset.—
(1) In general.—The authority to enter into and carry out an agreement with the Foundation pursuant to this Act shall sunset on the date that is 7 years after the date of enactment of this Act.
(2) Effect on existing agreement.—Any existing agreement entered into under this section shall terminate, notwithstanding any terms within such agreement, on the date that is 7 years after the date of enactment of this Act.
(g) Saving Clause.—Nothing in this Act affects any other authority of the Secretary to issue special use permits or agreements.
(h) Not later than 4 years after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall submit to the Committee on Natural Resources of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources of the Senate a report evaluating the implementation of this Act, including the—
(1) operational impacts of the agreement on visitor access, security, staffing, and facilities management; and
(2) financial implications of the agreement, including fees collected and costs recovered.
Passed the House of Representatives March 16, 2026.
Attest:
Clerk. 119th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 5254
AN ACT
To authorize the Secretary of the Interior to enter into an agreement with the Gateway Arch Park Foundation to host private events in Gateway Arch National Park buildings, and for other purposes.
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