Bills · H.R. 5254 · Text

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H.R. 5254: the bill

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 5254 Reported in Senate (RS)]

<DOC>





                                                       Calendar No. 662
119th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 5254


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                             March 17, 2026

    Received; read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and 
                           Natural Resources

                           September 17, 2026

                 Reported by Mr. Lee, with an amendment
 [Strike out all after the enacting clause and insert the part printed 
                               in italic]

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 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,

<DELETED>SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.</DELETED>

<DELETED>    This Act may be cited as the ``Gateway Partnership 
Act''.</DELETED>

<DELETED>SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS.</DELETED>

<DELETED>    In this Act:</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (1) Foundation.--The term ``Foundation'' means the 
        Gateway Arch Park Foundation, a nonprofit organization that 
        serves as the official philanthropic partner of the 
        Park.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (2) Park.--The term ``Park'' means Gateway Arch 
        National Park.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (3) Park building.--The term ``Park building'' 
        means--</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (A) the Arch Visitor Center;</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (B) the Old Courthouse; and</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (C) any other building administered or 
                managed by the Secretary as part of the Park that is 
                open to the public.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (4) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the 
        Secretary of the Interior.</DELETED>

<DELETED>SEC. 3. GATEWAY ARCH NATIONAL PARK PARTNER AGREEMENT PILOT 
              PROJECT.</DELETED>

<DELETED>    (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.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (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--</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (1) dates and times during which the Foundation 
        may be the exclusive organization that holds a special event in 
        specified Park buildings;</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (2)(A) the maximum number of events that can be 
        held per month; and</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (B) appropriate National Park Service staffing 
        levels necessary to ensure public safety and resource 
        protection during such events;</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (3) liability insurance in an amount sufficient to 
        protect the interests of the United States that lists the 
        United States as additionally insured;</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (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;</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (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</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (6) any other terms and conditions as the 
        Secretary considers appropriate.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (c) Use.--Private events hosted at the Park or in Park 
buildings through an agreement entered into under subsection (a)--
</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (1) shall be limited to activities--</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (A) consistent with the purposes of the 
                Park; and</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (B) compatible with National Park Service 
                programs;</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (2) shall not include activities that degrade the 
        integrity, appearance, or purposes of the Park; and</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (3) shall not take place during times or in 
        locations that prevent or disrupt public use or access to the 
        Park or Park buildings.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (d) Recovery of Costs.--In entering into an agreement 
under subsection (a), the Secretary--</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (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</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (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.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (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.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (f) Sunset.--</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (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.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (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.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (g) Saving Clause.--Nothing in this Act affects any other 
authority of the Secretary to issue special use permits or 
agreements.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (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--</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (1) operational impacts of the agreement on 
        visitor access, security, staffing, and facilities management; 
        and</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (2) financial implications of the agreement, 
        including fees collected and costs recovered.</DELETED>

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.
                                                       Calendar No. 662

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.

_______________________________________________________________________

                           September 17, 2026

                       Reported with an amendment
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