Why It Matters

The Trump administration's National Park Service (NPS) budget request for fiscal 2027 proposes substantial cuts to discretionary funding for park operations while seeking $10 billion in mandatory funding for a new D.C.-focused initiative. A Congressional Research Service report examined how the proposal compares with current funding and House appropriations action, highlighting a significant divide between the administration and House appropriators over park funding.

The administration requested $2.206 billion in discretionary appropriations for NPS, 32 percent below enacted funding. Meanwhile, the House Appropriations Committee has proposed funding 46 percent above the administration's request. Fiscal 2027 appropriations have not yet been enacted.

The Big Picture

The administration requested $2.206 billion in discretionary appropriations for NPS, representing a 32 percent reduction from the agency's $3.267 billion enacted appropriation. The request proposed decreases for four of NPS's five discretionary accounts and the elimination of one account entirely.

The House Appropriations Committee reported H.R. 9171 out of committee on a 35-27 vote, allocating approximately $3.225 billion in discretionary appropriations to NPS, 1 percent below enacted funding and 46 percent above the administration's request. The House proposal would reduce combined funding for preventive and deferred maintenance by 17 percent, providing $782.6 million for facility operations and maintenance while allocating no funding for line-item construction projects.

The administration requested $2.141 billion for the Operation of the National Park System account, which supports day-to-day activities, programs, and services at park units, a 26 percent decrease from enacted funding. H.R. 9171 would reduce that account by 1 percent. The divergence is sharper for nonfederal assistance. The administration requested $6 million for the National Recreation and Preservation account, a 93 percent cut, and $11 million for the Historic Preservation Fund account, a 94 percent reduction. H.R. 9171 would increase the National Recreation and Preservation account by 1 percent and decrease the Historic Preservation Fund account by 10 percent.

The administration's request would support 13,119 full-time equivalent staff, an 18 percent reduction from enacted levels. NPS staffing declined 6 percent between fiscal 2017 and fiscal 2025, while the agency has also lost roughly 25 percent of its workforce since the beginning of the current administration.

The Bottom Line

The administration's proposal to establish a $10 billion Presidential Capital Stewardship Program for construction and beautification projects in and around D.C. through mandatory spending has emerged as a flashpoint. Senate Appropriations Committee ranking member Jeff Merkley (D-OR) criticized the proposal as a "slush fund" and described the projects as "ego-driven vanity projects" while criticizing proposed cuts elsewhere in the department.

The $10 billion program would drive NPS's projected mandatory appropriations from $1.768 billion to $11.757 billion. The administration says the program would fund priority construction and beautification projects in and around D.C., including work intended to improve safety and accessibility and rehabilitate historic buildings and landscapes.

The House committee's discretionary funding proposal, meanwhile, is substantially closer to enacted NPS funding than to the administration's request, setting up a broader appropriations fight over park operations, staffing, maintenance, and the administration's proposed investment in D.C.

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