Bill · H.R. 5254· House(119-HR-5254)
Gateway Partnership Act
- Introduced
- 9/10/2025
- Last activity
- 9/17/2026 — Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 662.
- Sponsored by
- Wesley Bell
- Cosponsors
- - 1 - 1
- Introduced
- Passed House
- Awaiting Senate
- On Senate calendar
What this bill would do
This bill is known as the Gateway Partnership Act. It allows the Secretary of the Interior to make a one-time, up to five-year agreement with the Gateway Arch Park Foundation. This agreement lets the non-profit organization host private events inside buildings at the Gateway Arch National Park. The bill makes sure that these private events will not block the everyday public from using the park. It also requires the Foundation to pay fees and cover all costs like maintenance, utilities, and security. Finally, the program will automatically end after seven years, and the Secretary must report on how it went after four years.
Yes· 3 of 4
Does this better protect public land such as parks and forests?+2
The Act provides a mechanism for philanthropic partnership to support the management of National Park facilities.
Does this better protect air, water and wildlife?+1
The Act mandates that private events must not degrade the integrity or appearance of the Park.
Does this make the government pay for what it commits to?+1
The Act allows the Secretary to recover costs for maintenance, utilities, and security from private event hosts.
The opposite
No question was scored the opposite.
Who it would affect, and how
Potential Positive Impacts for People
-
Protection Against Taxpayer Costs: Under Section 3(d), the Secretary is required to charge a fee for wear and tear and can recover all costs like maintenance, utilities, administrative expenses, security, and personnel costs. This is good for the people because it means taxpayers will not be footing the bill for private events.
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Guaranteed Public Access: Under Section 3(c)(3), private events cannot take place during times or in locations that prevent or disrupt public use or access to the Park or Park buildings. This is a win for everyday folks who want to visit the park without being turned away for a private party.
-
Accountability Through Reporting: Under Section 3(h), the Secretary must submit a report to Congress within four years evaluating the operational and financial impacts of the agreement. This holds officials accountable and lets us see if the pilot project is actually working out for the public good.
Potential Negative Impacts for People
- Exclusivity for Private Groups: Under Section 3(b)(1), the agreement can set dates and times during which the Foundation is the exclusive organization that holds a special event in specified Park buildings. This could be viewed as a negative because it gives a specific private group exclusive control over public spaces during those times.
Groups and Interests Ranking
Every group the model scored this bill for, from -10 to +10. Hover a score for the reason it gave.
- Environment Energy And Infrastructure
- Improves Public Land Management+2Improves Environmental Protections+1
- Economy And Finance
- Improves Fiscal Responsibility+1
- Governance And Ideology
- Improves Government Transparency+1
- 9/17/2026
- Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. Reported by Senator Lee with an amendment in the nature of a substitute. Without written report.
- Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 662.
- 7/29/2026
- Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. Ordered to be reported with an amendment in the nature of a substitute favorably.
- 7/21/2026
- Committee on Energy and Natural Resources Subcommittee on National Parks. Hearings held.
- 3/17/2026
- Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.
- 3/16/2026
- Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
- Passed/agreed to in House: On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by voice vote. (text: CR H2519-2520)
- On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by voice vote. (text: CR H2519-2520)
- DEBATE - The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on H.R. 5254.
- Considered under suspension of the rules. (consideration: CR H2519-2521)
- Mr. Wittman moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended.
- 3/2/2026
- Reported (Amended) by the Committee on Natural Resources. H. Rept. 119-536.
- Placed on the Union Calendar, Calendar No. 461.
- 1/22/2026
- Subcommittee on Federal Lands Discharged
- Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held
- Ordered to be Reported in the Nature of a Substitute (Amended) by Unanimous Consent.
- 12/2/2025
- Subcommittee Hearings Held
- 11/25/2025
- Referred to the Subcommittee on Federal Lands.
- 9/10/2025
- Referred to the House Committee on Natural Resources.
- 2 Cosponsors added.
- Introduced in House
One bill Congress.gov lists as related to this one — companions in the other chamber, earlier versions, and bills this one absorbed or was folded into.
Nikki BudzinskiDemocrat · Illinois
Ann WagnerRepublican · Missouri