119th (2025–2027)
H.R. 4937
The EQUAL Parks Act would convert a 2017 presidential memorandum into permanent law, requiring federal agencies to actively promote diversity and inclusion across national parks, national forests, and other public lands and waters. The bill affects the National Park Service, U.S. Forest Service, and other federal agencies responsible for managing public lands, as well as communities that use these resources. The legislation essentially locks in existing diversity and inclusion initiatives as legal requirements rather than discretionary policies that could change with different administrations. The bill was referred to multiple committees including Natural Resources, Agriculture, Transportation and Infrastructure, and Science, Space, and Technology for their review. No specific funding amounts or implementation timelines are outlined in the legislation text.