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Updated November 25, 2019
National Park Service: FY2020 Appropriations
The National Park Service (NPS) administers the National
Because FY2020 appropriations were not enacted by the
Park System, which includes 419 units valued for their
start of the fiscal year, two continuing resolutions, P.L. 116-
natural, cultural, and recreational importance and covers 85
59 and P.L. 116-69, have provided continuing
million acres (81 million acres of federal land and 4 million
appropriations at FY2019 levels through December 20,
nonfederal). As an agency in the Department of the Interior,
2019, or until full-year FY2020 appropriations are enacted.
NPS receives funding in annual appropriations laws for
Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies. Issues for
NPS’s Appropriations Accounts
Congress include the total level of NPS appropriations,
NPS has six discretionary appropriations accounts (Figure
funding to address NPS’s backlog of deferred maintenance,
1). The majority of NPS discretionary appropriations
and funding for land acquisition, among others.
typically have gone to the Operation of the National Park
System (ONPS) account to support day-to-day activities,
FY2020 Appropriations
programs, and services at park units. These include resource
The Trump Administration requested $2.742 billion in
stewardship, visitor services, park protection, facility
FY2020 discretionary appropriations for NPS. The request
operations and maintenance, and administrative costs.
was 15% less than NPS’s FY2019 regular appropriation of
$3.223 billion, enacted in P.L. 116-6. (For FY2019, P.L.
Figure 1. NPS Appropriations Accounts
116-20 also provided $0.128 billion in supplemental
(percentages reflect FY2019 regular appropriations)
funding for NPS to address hurricane and typhoon damage.)
The request included reductions for all NPS accounts as
compared with FY2019.
On June 25, 2019, the House passed H.R. 3055, an FY2020
consolidated appropriations bill with Interior funding. The
House Committee on Appropriations had earlier reported a
stand-alone Interior bill, H.R. 3052 (H.Rept. 116-100). The
House would provide $3.362 billion for NPS, 23% more
than requested by the Administration and 4% more than the
FY2019 regular appropriation. On October 31, 2019, the
Senate passed its version of H.R. 3055, with $3.356 billion
for NPS. Earlier, the Senate Appropriations Committee had
reported S. 2580 (S.Rept. 116-123). The Senate would
provide 22% more than the request and 4% more than the
Source: H.Rept. 116-9. Figure does not reflect FY2019 supplemental
FY2019 regular appropriation. The House and Senate bills
appropriations in P.L. 116-20.
include increases for all NPS accounts compared to the
Notes: ONPS = Operation of the National Park System.
Administration’s request, as well as increases for most
NR&P = National Recreation and Preservation.
accounts compared to FY2019 regular appropriations in
P.L. 116-6 (Table 1).
Table 1. NPS Discretionary Appropriations by Account ($ in millions)
FY2019 Enacted
FY2020 House-Passed
% Change
Senate-Passed
% Change
Account
(P.L. 116-6) Request
H.R. 3055
from FY2019
H.R. 3055 from FY2019
Operation of the Nat’l. Park System
2,502.7
2,425.5
2,647.0
+6%
2,564.6
+2%
Construction
364.7
246.3
319.7
-12%
392.2
+8%
Land Acquisition and State Assistance
168.4
4.8
208.4
+24%
197.6
+17%
Historic Preservation Fund
102.7
32.7
121.7
+19%
113.2
+10%
Nat’l. Recreation and Preservation
64.1
32.3
73.5
+15%
68.1
+6%
Centennial Challenge
20.0
0
20.0
—
20.0
—
LWCF Rescission of Contract Authority
—
—
-28.1
—
—
—
Total
3,222.7
2,741.7
3,362.1
+4%
3,355.6
+4%
Sources: H.Rept. 116-9; NPS FY2020 budget request; H.Rept. 116-100; S.Rept. 116-123. LWCF = Land and Water Conservation Fund.
https://crsreports.congress.gov
National Park Service: FY2020 Appropriations
Notes: Totals may not sum precisely due to rounding. Table does not reflect FY2019 supplemental appropriations of $128.0 mil ion in P.L.
116-20 (provided as emergency spending outside of discretionary spending limits).
NPS’s Construction account covers rehabilitation and
Construction” in the Construction account and “Repair and
replacement of existing facilities as well as new
Rehabilitation” in the ONPS account) are among the
construction. In recent years, the agency has planned no
primary sources of funds for NPS DM, and for FY2019
new facility construction in order to prioritize deferred
NPS also allocated funds from a “General Program
maintenance. NPS prioritizes projects based on “mission
Increase” for the Construction account in P.L. 116-6.
factors” and cost-benefit considerations. The account also
According to NPS, these three sources provided a combined
covers other construction activities and planning.
$395.3 million for FY2019. For FY2020, the House would
provide $363.3 million for the two budget subactivities with
Funding for the Land Acquisition and State Assistance
no general program increase and the Senate would provide
(LASA) account comes from the Land and Water
$423.8 million for the three sources combined. Portions of
Conservation Fund (LWCF; 54 U.S.C. §200301), the
other NPS discretionary budget activities also are used for
primary funding source for the federal land management
DM. Additionally, allocations from the Highway Trust
agencies to acquire lands. The account covers both NPS’s
Fund support NPS road repair and improvements. Other
own acquisitions—typically nonfederal “inholdings” inside
sources, such as recreation fees, also may be used.
the boundaries of national park units—and NPS grants to
states for outdoor recreation needs.
Congress has considered whether to increase discretionary
funding for NPS DM, provide mandatory funding, and/or
NPS administers historic preservation programs through its
direct the agency to use existing funding differently. For
Historic Preservation Fund (HPF) account. Under the
more information, see CRS Report R44924, The National
National Historic Preservation Act (54 U.S.C. §300101),
Park Service’s Maintenance Backlog: Frequently Asked
the fund receives $150 million annually from offshore
Questions; and CRS In Focus IF10987, Legislative
energy revenues, but monies are available only as provided
Proposals for a National Park Service Deferred
in appropriations acts. Most of the funding goes to state and
Maintenance Fund.
tribal historic preservation offices as formula grants to
preserve cultural and historical assets and sites. Congress
Land Acquisition Funding
also has made available some funding for nationally
The extent to which NPS land acquisition funding should
competitive grant programs.
be increased, decreased, or redirected remains a focus for
Congress. At a broad level, some in Congress object to
The National Recreation and Preservation (NR&P) account
further expansion of the federal estate, whereas others feel
funds NPS programs that assist state, local, tribal, and
that more areas need federal protection. For NPS, some
private land managers with grants for outdoor recreation
Members have suggested that agency funding to acquire
planning, natural and cultural resource preservation, and
new lands is misplaced when maintenance needs for
other activities. The largest single program funded through
existing lands in the system are not being met. Some also
the account is NPS assistance to national heritage areas.
assert that recent acquisitions have lacked the national value
of earlier iconic parks. Supporters of NPS land acquisition
The Centennial Challenge account supports the National
funding have noted that the funds typically are used to
Park Centennial Challenge Fund. Authorized by Congress
acquire nonfederal inholdings within existing park units.
in 2016 (54 U.S.C. §103501), the fund provides matching
They contend that such acquisitions help to complete
grants to spur partner donations for projects or programs
valued parks and may facilitate maintenance efforts.
that further the NPS mission and enhance the visitor
experience. Deferred maintenance is prioritized. The fund
Congress provided $44.4 million for NPS land acquisition
also is authorized to receive offsetting collections from the
in FY2019. For FY2020, the House would provide $68.4
sale of senior passes under the Federal Lands Recreational
million and the Senate would provide $59.9 million. The
Enhancement Act (16 U.S.C. §6801).
Administration requested no new funding for NPS land
acquisition projects in FY2020, in order to focus resources
In addition to discretionary appropriations, NPS receives
on management of existing lands and assets.
mandatory appropriations from entrance and recreation
fees, concessioner fees, donations, and other sources, which
NPS Assistance to Nonfederal Sites and Programs
may be used for specified purposes such as maintenance
Some Members, along with the Trump and Obama
and visitor services. NPS estimated mandatory
Administrations, have questioned whether NPS assistance
appropriations of $733.4 million for FY2020, a decrease of
to nonfederal sites and programs should be reduced to focus
4% from its estimated mandatory funding for FY2019.
funding on NPS’s “core mission” of managing federal
Issues for Congress
parks. Two NPS accounts (NR&P and HPF), along with
part of the LASA account, fund such assistance. These
Deferred Maintenance
monies combined represented less than 10% of total NPS
NPS’s backlog of deferred maintenance (DM), estimated at
funding in FY2019. For FY2020, the House and Senate
$11.920 billion as of the end of FY2018, remains a
would increase funding for all of these assistance accounts
significant issue in the appropriations process. Despite
over FY2019. The Administration had proposed reductions
legislation and agency actions aimed at addressing the
for these programs and elimination of some types of
backlog, it has increased over the past decade. NPS funding
assistance, including NPS grants to national heritage areas
to address DM comes from discretionary appropriations and
(which are nonfederally managed). The FY2020 budget
other sources. Two appropriations subactivities (“Line-Item
https://crsreports.congress.gov
National Park Service: FY2020 Appropriations
justification encouraged heritage area managers to seek
Laura B. Comay, Specialist in Natural Resources
sustainable funding from local and private beneficiaries.
IF11178
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