I 
118TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 3200 
To require the Secretary of Agriculture and the Secretary of the Interior 
to carry out certain activities to enhance recreational opportunities for 
gateway communities, to amend the Federal Lands Recreation Enhance-
ment Act to provide for the establishment of a digital National Parks 
and Federal Recreational Lands Pass, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
MAY 10, 2023 
Mr. ZINKE (for himself, Mrs. PELTOLA, Mr. CURTIS, Mr. LAMALFA, Mr. 
NEWHOUSE, Mr. STAUBER, Ms. SALAZAR, Mr. LAWLER, and Mr. 
OWENS) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Com-
mittee on Natural Resources, and in addition to the Committee on Agri-
culture, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in 
each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdic-
tion of the committee concerned 
A BILL 
To require the Secretary of Agriculture and the Secretary 
of the Interior to carry out certain activities to enhance 
recreational opportunities for gateway communities, to 
amend the Federal Lands Recreation Enhancement Act 
to provide for the establishment of a digital National 
Parks and Federal Recreational Lands Pass, and for 
other purposes. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
04:11 May 20, 2023
Jkt 039200
PO 00000
Frm 00001
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H3200.IH
H3200
kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Gateway Community 
and Recreation Enhancement Act’’. 
SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS. 
In this Act: 
(1) FEDERAL
RECREATIONAL
LANDS
AND 
WATERS.—The term ‘‘Federal recreational lands and 
waters’’ has the meaning given the term in section 
802 of the Federal Lands Recreation Enhancement 
Act (16 U.S.C. 6801). 
(2) GATEWAY COMMUNITY.—The term ‘‘gate-
way community’’ means a community that serves as 
an entry point or is adjacent to a recreation destina-
tion on Federal recreational lands and waters or 
non-Federal land at which there is consistently high, 
in the determination of the Secretaries, seasonal or 
year-round visitation. 
(3) INDIAN TRIBE.—The term ‘‘Indian Tribe’’ 
has the meaning given the term in section 4 of the 
Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance 
Act (25 U.S.C. 5304). 
(4) SECRETARIES.—The term ‘‘Secretaries’’ 
means— 
(A) the Secretary; and 
(B) the Secretary of Agriculture, acting 
through the Chief of the Forest Service. 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
04:11 May 20, 2023
Jkt 039200
PO 00000
Frm 00002
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H3200.IH
H3200
kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS
(5) SECRETARY.—The term ‘‘Secretary’’ means 
the Secretary of the Interior. 
SEC. 3. GATEWAY COMMUNITIES. 
(a) ASSESSMENT OF IMPACTS AND NEEDS IN GATE-
WAY COMMUNITIES.—Using existing funds available to 
the Secretaries, the Secretaries— 
(1) shall collaborate with State and local gov-
ernments, Indian Tribes, housing authorities, appli-
cable trade associations, nonprofit organizations, 
and other relevant stakeholders to identify needs and 
economic impacts in gateway communities, includ-
ing— 
(A) housing shortages; 
(B) demands on existing municipal infra-
structure; 
(C) accommodation and management of 
sustainable visitation; and 
(D) the expansion and diversification of 
visitor experiences by bolstering the visitation 
at— 
(i) underutilized locations on nearby 
Federal recreational lands and waters that 
are suitable for developing, expanding, or 
enhancing recreation use, as identified by 
the Secretaries; or 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
04:11 May 20, 2023
Jkt 039200
PO 00000
Frm 00003
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H3200.IH
H3200
kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS
(ii) lesser-known recreation sites, as 
identified under section 5(b)(1)(B), on 
nearby land managed by a State agency or 
a local agency; 
(2) may address a need identified under para-
graph (1) by— 
(A) providing financial or technical assist-
ance to a gateway community under an existing 
program; 
(B) entering into a lease, right-of-way, or 
easement, in accordance with applicable laws; or 
(C) issuing an entity referred to in para-
graph (1) a special use permit (other than a 
special recreation permit), in accordance with 
applicable laws. 
(b) TECHNICAL
AND FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE
TO 
BUSINESSES.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of Agriculture 
(acting through the Administrator of the Rural 
Business-Cooperative Service), in coordination with 
the Secretary and the Secretary of Commerce, shall 
provide to businesses in gateway communities the 
assistance described in paragraph (2) to establish, 
operate, or expand infrastructure to accommodate 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
04:11 May 20, 2023
Jkt 039200
PO 00000
Frm 00004
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H3200.IH
H3200
kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS
and manage sustainable visitation, including hotels, 
campgrounds, and restaurants. 
(2) ASSISTANCE.—The Secretary of Agriculture 
may provide assistance under paragraph (1) through 
the use of existing, or the establishment of new, en-
trepreneur and vocational training programs, tech-
nical assistance programs, low-interest business loan 
programs, and loan guarantee programs. 
(c) PARTNERSHIPS.—In carrying out this section, the 
Secretaries may, in accordance with applicable laws, enter 
into a public-private partnership, cooperative agreement, 
memorandum of understanding, or similar agreement with 
a gateway community or a business in a gateway commu-
nity. 
SEC. 4. PUBLIC MEETINGS BEFORE REDUCTION OF ACCESS 
TO NATIONAL PARKS. 
Before taking any action that will reduce access to 
a National Park (not including actions to reduce access 
due to incident specific events that present a risk to health 
and safety such as a weather event or vehicle accident), 
the Superintendent of the affected National Park shall— 
(1) conduct public meetings; 
(2) consult local stakeholders; and 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
04:11 May 20, 2023
Jkt 039200
PO 00000
Frm 00005
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H3200.IH
H3200
kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS
(3) provide an opportunity for submission of 
public comments for a period of not less than 60 
days. 
SEC. 5. IMPROVED RECREATION VISITATION DATA. 
(a) CONSISTENT VISITATION DATA.— 
(1) ANNUAL
VISITATION
DATA.—The Secre-
taries shall establish a single visitation data report-
ing system to report accurate annual visitation data, 
in a consistent manner, for— 
(A) each unit of Federal recreational lands 
and waters; and 
(B) land held in trust for an Indian Tribe, 
on request of the Indian Tribe. 
(2) CATEGORIES OF USE.—Within the visitation 
data reporting system established under paragraph 
(1), the Secretaries shall— 
(A) establish multiple categories of dif-
ferent recreation activities that are reported 
consistently across agencies; and 
(B) provide an estimate of the number of 
visitors for each applicable category established 
under subparagraph (A) for each unit of Fed-
eral recreational lands and waters. 
(b) REAL-TIME DATA PILOT PROGRAM.— 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
04:11 May 20, 2023
Jkt 039200
PO 00000
Frm 00006
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H3200.IH
H3200
kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS
(1) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 2 years after 
the date of enactment of this Act, using existing 
funds available to the Secretaries, the Secretaries 
shall carry out a pilot program, to be known as the 
‘‘Real-time Data Pilot Program’’ (referred to in this 
section as the ‘‘Pilot Program’’), to make available 
to the public, for each unit of Federal recreational 
lands and waters selected for participation in the 
Pilot Program under paragraph (2)— 
(A) real-time or predictive data on visita-
tion (including data and resources publicly 
available from existing nongovernmental plat-
form) at— 
(i) the unit of Federal recreational 
lands and waters; 
(ii) to the extent practicable, areas 
within the unit of Federal recreational 
lands and waters; and 
(iii) to the extent practicable, recre-
ation sites managed by any other Federal 
agency, a State agency, or a local agency 
that are located near the unit of Federal 
recreational lands and waters; and 
(B) through multiple media platforms, in-
formation about lesser-known recreation sites 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
04:11 May 20, 2023
Jkt 039200
PO 00000
Frm 00007
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H3200.IH
H3200
kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS
located near the unit of Federal recreational 
lands and waters (including recreation sites 
managed by any other Federal agency, a State 
agency, or a local agency), in an effort to en-
courage visitation among recreational sites. 
(2) LOCATIONS.— 
(A) INITIAL NUMBER OF UNITS.—On es-
tablishment of the Pilot Program, the Secre-
taries shall select for participation in the Pilot 
Program— 
(i) 15 units of Federal recreational 
lands and waters managed by the Sec-
retary; and 
(ii) 5 units of Federal recreational 
lands and waters managed by the Sec-
retary of Agriculture (acting through the 
Chief of the Forest Service). 
(B) EXPANSION.—Not later than 5 years 
after the date of enactment of this Act, the Sec-
retaries shall expand the Pilot Program by se-
lecting 80 additional units of Federal rec-
reational lands and waters managed by the Sec-
retaries for participation in the Pilot Program, 
not fewer than 50 of which shall be units man-
aged by the Secretary. 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
04:11 May 20, 2023
Jkt 039200
PO 00000
Frm 00008
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H3200.IH
H3200
kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS
(B) State and local outdoor recreation and 
tourism offices; 
(C) local governments; 
(D) Indian Tribes; 
(E) trade associations; 
(F) local outdoor recreation marketing or-
ganizations; 
(G) permitted facilitated recreation pro-
viders; or 
(H) other relevant stakeholders; and 
(2) coordinate or enter into agreements, as ap-
propriate, with private sector and nonprofit part-
ners, including— 
(A) technology companies; 
(B) geospatial data companies; 
(C) experts in data science, analytics, and 
operations research; or 
(D) data companies. 
(d) EXISTING PROGRAMS.—The Secretaries may use 
existing programs or products of the Secretaries to carry 
out this section. 
(e) PRIVACY CLAUSES.—Nothing in this section pro-
vides authority to the Secretaries— 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
04:11 May 20, 2023
Jkt 039200
PO 00000
Frm 00010
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H3200.IH
H3200
kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS
(1) to monitor or record the movements of a 
visitor to a unit of Federal recreational lands and 
waters; 
(2) to restrict, interfere with, or monitor a pri-
vate communication of a visitor to a unit of Federal 
recreational lands and waters; or 
(3) to collect— 
(A) information from owners of land adja-
cent to a unit of Federal recreational lands and 
waters; or 
(B) information on non-Federal land. 
(f) REPORTS.—Not later than January 1, 2024, and 
annually thereafter, the Secretaries shall publish on a 
website of the Secretaries a report that describes the an-
nual visitation of each unit of Federal recreational lands 
and waters, including, to the maximum extent practicable, 
visitation categorized by recreational activity. 
SEC. 6. ESTABLISHMENT OF A DIGITAL VERSION OF AMER-
ICA THE BEAUTIFUL—THE NATIONAL PARKS 
AND 
FEDERAL 
RECREATIONAL 
LANDS 
PASSES. 
Section 805(a) of the Federal Lands Recreation En-
hancement Act (16 U.S.C. 6804(a)) is amended by adding 
at the end the following: 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
04:11 May 20, 2023
Jkt 039200
PO 00000
Frm 00011
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H3200.IH
H3200
kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS
‘‘(10) DIGITAL RECREATION PASSES.—By not 
later than January 1, 2024, the Secretaries shall— 
‘‘(A) establish a digital version of the Na-
tional Parks and Federal Recreational Lands 
Pass that is able to be stored on a mobile de-
vice; and 
‘‘(B) on the completion of a sale of a Na-
tional Parks and Federal Recreational Lands 
Pass carried out under paragraph (6)(A), make 
available to the passholder the digital version of 
the National Parks and Federal Recreational 
Lands Pass established under subparagraph 
(A).’’. 
Æ 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
04:11 May 20, 2023
Jkt 039200
PO 00000
Frm 00012
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6301
E:\BILLS\H3200.IH
H3200
kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS