Title: Responsibly Enhancing America's Landscapes Act
Policy area: Public Lands and Natural Resources

Summary:
Responsibly Enhancing America's Landscapes Act
This bill establishes the National Park Service Legacy Restoration Fund to provide funding for deferred maintenance projects in national parks.
The bill increases specified fees for FY2020-FY2029 and the additional amounts collected are deposited in the fund. The fees that are increased are the entrance fees at federal recreational lands and waters, the fees for the use of the electronic system for travel authorization for certain visitors to the United States, and the fees for visa applications of nonimmigrants seeking temporary admission to the United States for business or pleasure.
Amounts in the fund shall be used for the priority deferred maintenance needs of the National Park Service. At least 65% of the funds must be used for nontransportation projects.

[Congressional Bills 116th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 2783 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

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116th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                S. 2783

To amend title 54, United States Code, to establish, fund, and provide 
 for the use of amounts in a National Park Service Legacy Restoration 
 Fund to address the maintenance backlog of the National Park Service, 
                        and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                            November 5, 2019

   Mr. Enzi introduced the following bill; which was read twice and 
               referred to the Committee on the Judiciary

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
To amend title 54, United States Code, to establish, fund, and provide 
 for the use of amounts in a National Park Service Legacy Restoration 
 Fund to address the maintenance backlog of the National Park Service, 
                        and for other purposes.

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

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Responsibly Enhancing America's 
Landscapes Act''.

SEC. 2. NATIONAL PARK SERVICE LEGACY RESTORATION FUND.

    (a) In General.--Chapter 1049 of title 54, United States Code, is 
amended by adding at the end the following:
``Sec. 104910. National Park Service Legacy Restoration Fund
    ``(a) Definitions.--In this section:
            ``(1) Fund.--The term `Fund' means the National Park 
        Service Legacy Restoration Fund established by subsection (b).
            ``(2) Project.--The term `project' means the overall plan 
        of remediation of deferred maintenance for an asset, which may 
        include resolving directly related infrastructure deficiencies 
        of the asset.
    ``(b) Establishment.--There is established in the Treasury a fund, 
to be known as the `National Park Service Legacy Restoration Fund'.
    ``(c) Deposits.--
            ``(1) In general.--Except as provided in paragraph (3), for 
        each of fiscal years 2020 through 2029, there shall be 
        deposited in the Fund--
                    ``(A) from fees collected under section 803(e) of 
                the Federal Lands Recreation Enhancement Act (16 U.S.C. 
                6802(e)), $5 per entrance fee (as defined in section 
                802 of that Act (16 U.S.C. 6801)), adjusted annually 
                for inflation;
                    ``(B) from fees collected under subparagraph 
                (B)(i)(III) of section 217(h)(3) of the Immigration and 
                Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1187(h)(3)) for use of the 
                electronic system for travel authorization established 
                under subparagraph (A) of that section, $16 per travel 
                authorization, adjusted annually for inflation; and
                    ``(C) from fees collected under section 22.1 of 
                title 22, Code of Federal Regulations, for visa 
                applications submitted by nonimmigrants seeking 
                temporary admission to the United States for businesses 
                or pleasure under section 101(a)(15)(B) of the 
                Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 
                1101(a)(15)(B)) (commonly referred to as B-1 and B-2 
                visas), $25 per application, adjusted annually for 
                inflation.
            ``(2) Increase in park entrance fees.--
                    ``(A) In general.--Not later than June 1, 2020, the 
                Secretary of the Interior shall increase each entrance 
                fee (as defined in section 802 of the Federal Lands 
                Recreation Enhancement Act (16 U.S.C. 6801)) 
                established for a unit of the National Park System 
                under section 803(e) of that Act (16 U.S.C. 6802(e)) by 
                $5.
                    ``(B) Adjustments for inflation.--The Secretary of 
                the Interior shall annually adjust the increase in the 
                amount of each entrance fee required under subparagraph 
                (A) for inflation.
    ``(d) Availability of Funds.--Amounts deposited in the Fund shall 
be available to the Secretary without further appropriation or fiscal 
year limitation.
    ``(e) Investment of Amounts.--
            ``(1) In general.--The Secretary may request the Secretary 
        of the Treasury to invest any portion of the Fund that is not, 
        as determined by the Secretary, required to meet the current 
        needs of the Fund.
            ``(2) Requirement.--An investment requested under paragraph 
        (1) shall be made by the Secretary of the Treasury in a public 
        debt security--
                    ``(A) with a maturity suitable to the needs of the 
                Fund, as determined by the Secretary; and
                    ``(B) bearing interest at a rate determined by the 
                Secretary of the Treasury, taking into consideration 
                current market yields on outstanding marketable 
                obligations of the United States of comparable 
                maturity.
            ``(3) Credits to fund.--The income on investments of the 
        Fund under this subsection shall be credited to, and form a 
        part of, the Fund.
    ``(f) Use of Funds.--Amounts in the Fund shall be used for the 
priority deferred maintenance needs of the Service, as determined by 
the Secretary, to carry out repair, restoration, or rehabilitation 
projects as follows:
            ``(1) Not less than 65 percent of amounts in the Fund shall 
        be allocated for non-transportation projects, including--
                    ``(A) historic structures, facilities, and other 
                historic assets;
                    ``(B) structures, facilities, and other nonhistoric 
                assets that relate directly to the visitor experience, 
                including--
                            ``(i) access, including making facilities 
                        accessible to visitors with disabilities;
                            ``(ii) health and safety; and
                            ``(iii) recreation; and
                    ``(C) administrative facilities, water and utility 
                systems, and employee housing.
            ``(2) The remaining amounts in the Fund may be allocated to 
        road, bridge, tunnel, or other transportation-related projects 
        that may be eligible for funding made available to the Service 
        through--
                    ``(A) the transportation program under section 203 
                of title 23; or
                    ``(B) any similar Federal land highway program 
                administered by the Secretary of Transportation.
    ``(g) Prohibited Use of Funds.--No amounts in the Fund shall be 
used--
            ``(1) for land acquisition;
            ``(2) to supplant discretionary funding made available for 
        the annually recurring facility operations, maintenance, and 
        construction needs of the Service; or
            ``(3) for bonuses for employees of the Federal Government 
        that are carrying out this section.
    ``(h) Submission of List of Projects to Congress.--As soon as 
practicable after the date of enactment of this section, the Secretary 
shall submit to the appropriate committees of Congress--
            ``(1) a list of each project that--
                    ``(A) as of the date of enactment of this section, 
                is identified by the Secretary as a highest-priority 
                deferred maintenance project of the Service; and
                    ``(B) as of the date of the report, is ready to be 
                commenced immediately; and
            ``(2) for any project identified under paragraph (1)(A) 
        that is not ready to be commenced immediately, a schedule for 
        the completion of all reviews with respect to the project 
        (including the preparation of any environmental documents and 
        historic preservation analyses) that are necessary to commence 
        the project immediately.
    ``(i) Submission to Congress.--The Secretary shall submit to the 
Committee on Energy and Natural Resources of the Senate and the 
Committee on Natural Resources of the House of Representatives, as part 
of the annual budget submission of the President--
            ``(1) a report that describes, and provides an explanation 
        for, any cost overruns or delays relating to deferred 
        maintenance projects carried out using amounts from the Fund 
        for the previous fiscal year; and
            ``(2) a list of projects for which the amounts in the Fund 
        are allocated under this section, including a description and 
        cost-benefit analysis of each project, after considering the 
        list and schedules submitted under subsection (h).
    ``(j) Public Donations.--
            ``(1) In general.--The Secretary and the Director may 
        accept public cash or in-kind donations that advance efforts--
                    ``(A) to reduce the deferred maintenance backlog of 
                the Service; and
                    ``(B) to encourage relevant public-private 
                partnerships.
            ``(2) Credits to fund.--Any cash donations accepted under 
        paragraph (1) shall be credited to, and form a part of, the 
        Fund.
            ``(3) Reporting.--Each donation received under paragraph 
        (1) that is used for, or directly related to, the reduction of 
        the deferred maintenance backlog of the Service shall be 
        included with the annual budget submission of the President to 
        Congress.
    ``(k) Annual Reports.--Not later than 1 year after the date on 
which the first distributions are made from the Fund, and annually 
thereafter, the Secretary shall submit to the appropriate committees of 
Congress a report that describes, with respect to each project provided 
amounts from the Fund during the period covered by the report--
            ``(1) any progress with respect to the project, including a 
        comparison of the progress with respect to other highest-
        priority deferred maintenance projects of the Service;
            ``(2) the expenditure of amounts from the Fund with respect 
        to the project; and
            ``(3) the projected cyclic maintenance needs of the project 
        on completion of the project.''.
    (b) Increase in Certain Visa Application Fees.--
            (1) In general.--Not later than January 10, 2020, the 
        Secretary of State shall amend section 22.1 of title 22, Code 
        of Federal Regulations, to increase the application fee for 
        visa applications submitted by nonimmigrants seeking temporary 
        admission to the United States for businesses or pleasure under 
        section 101(a)(15)(B) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 
        U.S.C. 1101(a)(15)(B)) (commonly referred to as B-1 and B-2 
        visas) by $25 per application, which amount shall be--
                    (A) adjusted annually for inflation; and
                    (B) deposited in the National Park Service Legacy 
                Restoration Fund under section 104910(c)(1) of title 
                54, United States Code (as added by subsection (a)).
            (2) Sunset.--The increase in the application fee under 
        paragraph (1) shall apply only to applications submitted to the 
        Secretary of State not later than September 30, 2029.
    (c) Increase in Fees for Use of the Electronic System for Travel 
Authorization.--Section 217(h)(3)(B) of the Immigration and Nationality 
Act (8 U.S.C. 1187(h)(3)(B)) is amended--
            (1) in clause (i)--
                    (A) in the matter preceding subclause (I), in the 
                second sentence, by striking ``The initial fee shall be 
                the sum of--'' and inserting the following: ``Beginning 
                on the first day of the first fiscal year beginning 
                after the date of enactment of the Responsibly 
                Enhancing America's Landscapes Act, the fee collected 
                under this subparagraph shall be an amount that is 
                equal to the sum of--'';
                    (B) by striking subclause (I) and inserting the 
                following:
                                    ``(I) an amount not to exceed $10, 
                                as determined by the Secretary, which 
                                shall be for disposition in accordance 
                                with clause (ii)(I);'';
                    (C) in subclause (II), by striking the period at 
                the end and inserting ``; and''; and
                    (D) by adding at the end the following:
                                    ``(III) $16 per travel 
                                authorization, adjusted annually for 
                                inflation, for disposition in 
                                accordance with section 104910(c)(1)(B) 
                                of title 54, United States Code.'';
            (2) in clause (ii)--
                    (A) in the first sentence, by striking ``Amounts'' 
                and inserting the following:
                                    ``(I) Travel Promotion Fund.--
                                Amounts''; and
                    (B) in subclause (I) (as so designated), in the 
                second sentence, by striking ``Amounts'' and inserting 
                the following:
                                    ``(II) Fees for the System.--
                                Amounts''; and
            (3) by adding at the end the following:
                            ``(iv) Sunset of National Park Service 
                        Legacy Restoration Fund fee.--The Secretary may 
                        not collect the fee described in clause 
                        (i)(III) for a travel authorization in a fiscal 
                        year beginning after September 30, 2029.''.
    (d) Clerical Amendment.--The table of sections for chapter 1049 of 
title 54, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the 
following:

``104910. National Park Service Legacy Restoration Fund.''.

SEC. 3. GAO STUDY.

    Not later than 2 years after the date of enactment of this Act, the 
Comptroller General of the United States shall--
            (1) conduct a study with respect to the implementation of 
        the National Park Service Legacy Restoration Fund under section 
        104910 of title 54, United States Code (as added by section 
        2(a)), including whether the Director of the National Park 
        Service is, with respect to projects carried out using amounts 
        from that Fund--
                    (A) properly estimating the cost for those 
                projects;
                    (B) adhering to time schedules and cost projections 
                for those projects;
                    (C) properly prioritizing deferred maintenance 
                projects; and
                    (D) properly moving completed projects off of the 
                high-priority deferred maintenance list of the National 
                Park Service in a timely manner; and
            (2) submit to Congress a report that describes the results 
        of the study under paragraph (1).
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