Action Alert: NPS, Fish & Wildlife, Forest Service FY26 Appropriations Bill
Good Reads: Cancelled Events in Trump-Era Washington | Downsized Vacations
Yesterday, the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Interior, Environment and Related Agencies marked up its FY26 appropriations bill. The good news is that they did not adopt the President’s Budget Request, which decimated funding the National Park Service (NPS), the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS), and the Forest Service and key cultural institutions but it cuts funding and there is a lot more Congress can do to protect and preserve these vital national resources.
Overall, the bill provides a total of $14.8 billion in funding for the Department of the Interior, $61 million below FY25 funding. This funding includes:
$3.1 billion for the NPS, $213 million below FY25 funding
$1.6 billion for the FWS , $109 million below FY25 funding
$2.9 billion for the Bureau of Indian Affairs, $429 million above FY25 funding
For related agencies:
$3.6 billion for the Forest Service (non-fire management), $107 million below FY25 funding
$270 million for the National Endowment for the Arts and the National
Endowment for the Humanities, $144 million below FY25 funding. Each agency is funded at $135 million.
$961 million for the Smithsonian Institution, $129 million below FY25 funding
Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) – The bill allocates $900 million for land acquisition and support for state recreation programs.
The NPS Second Century Action Coalition has organized a letter to the leadership and member of the House Appropriations Committee commending them for rejecting the devastating cuts of the President’s Budget Request and calling on them to use their authority to increase funding, end the hiring freeze, and prevent more workforce reductions. The letter is attached below, if you would have your organization sign on, please let me know by COB on Friday, July 18.
Note that this is the start of a long process and there will be additional opportunities to weigh in with Congress on the importance of these programs to the vitality of tourism communities.
The Institute for Museum and Library Services is funded under the Labor, HHS, Education, and Related Agencies appropriations bill, which has not yet been held.
The Transportation, HUD and Relation Agencies (THUD) bill was marked up today. More to come on funding for Scenic Byways.
This morning, the National Travel & Tourism Office released the Characteristics of Canada Land Visitors to the U.S. for 2024, which I thought is useful information for tourism marketing strategists. The report is attached.
Good Reads
POLITICO: Event Planners Are Cancelling on Trump-Era Washington. Is This a Sign of Things to Come?
Washington Post: Americans are downsizing their summer vacations