This bill, called the STARS Act, is a straightforward proposal to make all national parks and recreation sites free to visit for one day in 2026. Specifically, on September 17, 2026, any National Park Service site that normally charges an entrance fee would waive that fee for the day, allowing everyone to visit for free. The purpose is to celebrate America's 250th anniversary (the semiquincentennial) and give people across the country an opportunity to enjoy these public lands without paying the usual admission costs.

If passed, this would affect millions of Americans and visitors who might want to explore national parks, monuments, and other protected sites. People who normally skip visits because of entrance fees—which can range from $15 to $35 per vehicle at popular parks—would have a chance to experience these places at no cost. It's a one-time celebration rather than a permanent change to how parks operate, so entrance fees would return to normal the following day.

STARS Act

Maloy, Celeste

Semiquincentennial Tourism and Access to Recreation Sites Act or the STARS ActThis bill directs the Department of the Interior and the Forest Service to designate September 17, 2026, as an entrance-fee free date in honor of the 250th anniversary of the United States of America. On that date, Interior must waive (1) the entrance fees for all visitors of National Park Service sites; and (2) the standard amenity recreation fees for all visitors to each site managed by the Bureau of Land Management, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, or the Bureau of Reclamation. The Forest Service must waive the standard amenity recreation fees on that date for all visitors to sites it manages.