This month, the House and Senate considered legislation by their respective committees to build on the success of the Great American Outdoors Act (GAOA), one of the most significant investments in public lands in recent history.

In the Senate, bipartisan legislation known as the America the Beautiful Act (S.1547) would reauthorize the National Parks and Public Land Legacy Restoration Fund through 2033. Established by the GAOA in 2020, the Legacy Restoration Fund would provide dedicated funding to address deferred maintenance projects across multiple federal agencies, among other provisions, and help address much-needed repairs to historic structures and other assets. The bill has secured the support of over 60 Senators and the legislation was addressed at a June 17, 2026, business meeting of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, marking an important next step in the legislative process.

New legislation has now been introduced by House Natural Resources Committee Chairman Bruce Westerman (R-AR) and Ranking Member Jared Huffman (D-CA) proposing another approach to addressing key maintenance needs of NPS and other agencies. The bipartisan Great American Outdoors Act 250 (H.R.9250) would make significant changes to the existing program and has gained the support of over 100 cosponsors. The House Natural Resources Committee held a field hearing in Hot Springs, Arkansas on June 12, which can be viewed committee website.

The National Trust will continue to share updates on both proposals as Congress considers the future of federal investments in public lands, historic resources, and recreation infrastructure.

If your Senator is not already a cosponsor of the America the Beautiful Act (S. 1547), take action and urge them to support this bipartisan legislation.

Chaco Culture National Historical Park, sits within the greater landscape known as Chaco Canyon— a place rich with cultural history and sacred sites important to Indigenous people while also boasting magnificent viewsheds day and night.

In 2019, after years of work by conservation and Indigenous communities, a 10-mile buffer zone was created between the park site and oil and gas drilling to protect this UNESCO World Heritage Site for posterity. However, now the Trump administration is threatening to remove this buffer zone—a viewshed of 91,793 acres with numerous archaeological sites protected by the National Historic Preservation Act—putting all this important heritage at risk.

From April 1-April 7, 2026 the Department of the Interior opened a public comment period for a proposal by the Bureau of Land Management to revoke the public order that created this important zone. The National Trust submitted comments urging “BLM to pause, slow down, and engage in a process of public dialogue, tribal consultation, and additional study prior to taking any action.” And that “Beyond the significant threat to Chaco Canyon’s cultural and historic resources, there is no legitimate need that justifies opening these lands to drilling.”

In 2011 the Greater Chaco Landscape was listed on the National Trust’s list of America’s 11 Most Endangered Historic Places.

On December 3, Representative Adelita Grijalva (D-AZ) introduced the Save Oak Flat from Foreign Mining Act (H.R. 6391). The legislation would repeal Section 3003 of the FY 2015 National Defense Authorization Act in order to protect a site of significant religious, cultural, historical, and environmental importance to Tribal Nations in Arizona and across the nation.

The sacred site is listed on the National Register of Historic Places as a Traditional Cultural Property—and for over 15 years—the National Trust has opposed the mining project and supported preservation of the sacred site in many ways, including listing Oak Flat on our 11 Most Endangered Historic Places list in 2015, engaging in legal advocacy, and endorsing multiple legislative remedies.

Pending federal litigation regarding Oak Flat is scheduled to be argued before the US Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit on Wednesday, January 7, 2026, and oral arguments can be viewed via the livestream beginning at 11:30 AM EST/9:30 AM MST.