I 

118TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. R. 10527 

To direct the National Park Service to pursue options for the provision 

of mineral-based, broad-spectrum sunscreen or other protective methods 

at low or no cost in national parks. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

DECEMBER 19, 2024 

Mrs. DINGELL (for herself and Mr. LAWLER) introduced the following bill; 

which was referred to the Committee on Natural Resources 

A BILL 

To direct the National Park Service to pursue options for 

the provision of mineral-based, broad-spectrum sunscreen 

or other protective methods at low or no cost in national 

parks. 

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Sunscreen in Parks 

5 Findings Act’’ or the ‘‘SPF Act’’. 

6 SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 

7 Congress finds the following: 


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1 (1) The National Cancer Institute estimates 

2 there will be approximately 100,640 new cases of 

3 skin melanomas and 8,290 related deaths from skin 

4 cancer in the United States in 2024. 

5 (2) People of all skin colors are at risk for skin 

6 cancer, skin aging, and sunburn from spending time 

7 in the sun. 

8 (3) Sunscreen is most effective at protecting 

9 against skin cancer rates when paired with other 

10 protective methods, including— 

11 (A) limiting time in the sun, specifically 

12 when rays are most intense; and 

13 (B) wearing protective clothing to cover ex14 posed skin. 

15 (4) The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) 

16 continues to evaluate the safety and efficacy of sun17 screen products. According to the FDA, only broad18 spectrum sunscreens with a sun protection factor 

19 (SPF) of at least 15 help to protect from skin can20 cer and early aging. 

21 (5) The National Park Service recommends 

22 that visitors apply nonnanotized, mineral-based sun23 screens, which provide strong sun protection with 

24 few health concerns. 


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1 (6) According to the 2020 National Center for 

2 Health Statistics National Health Interview Survey, 

3 about 69 percent of Americans used sunscreen at 

4 least occasionally in 2020, up from 60 percent in 

5 2000. 

6 (7) A 2022 American Academy of Dermatology 

7 survey found that many United States adults have 

8 room for improvement in terms of sun protection 

9 and found the following: 

10 (A) 67 percent incorrectly believed that 

11 SPF 30 sunscreen offers twice as much protec12 tion as SPF 15 sunscreen. 

13 (B) 65 percent said they often forget to re14 apply sunscreen. 

15 (C) 43 percent were unaware that shade 

16 protects a person from ultraviolet (UV) rays. 

17 (8) Some States, including Colorado, Pennsyl18 vania, and Rhode Island, have provided free sun19 screen stations for visitors to State parks. 

20 (9) A 2022 George Mason University report to 

21 the National Park Service recommends that ‘‘na22 tional parks stock sunscreen and sun-protective 

23 UPF clothing in prominent displays with signage on 

24 recommended sun protection behaviors’’. 


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•HR 10527 IH

1 SEC. 3. REPORT TO CONGRESS. 

2 (a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 1 year after the 

3 date of the enactment of this Act, the Director of the Na4 tional Park Service shall provide to the Committee on Nat5 ural Resources of the House of Representatives a report 

6 outlining options for the provision of mineral-based, 

7 broad-spectrum sunscreen and other sun protection meth8 ods at low or no cost in national parks, including but not 

9 limited to— 

10 (1) public-private partnerships; 

11 (2) partnerships with nonprofit organizations; 

12 (3) unobligated funding within the National 

13 Park Service budget; and 

14 (4) any other option that could support the pro15 vision of free mineral-based sunscreen and other low16 cost protective methods to park visitors. 

17 (b) CONTENT OF REPORT.—The report required 

18 under subsection (a) shall address topics including but not 

19 limited to— 

20 (1) the potential environmental impacts of any 

21 sunscreen provided in the national parks; 

22 (2) the equitable usability of sunscreen provided 

23 for park visitors, specifically the ability of sunscreen 

24 to blend with all skin tones; and 


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1 (3) a plan for increasing awareness in the parks 

2 regarding the importance of sun protection to pre3 vent skin damage and skin cancer. 

4 (c) LEGISLATIVE RECOMMENDATIONS.—The report 

5 required under subsection (a) shall include recommenda6 tions for measures that Congress can take to support the 

7 effort for the National Park Service to increase options 

8 for sun protection in national parks. 

Æ 


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