S. 2498
National Park System Long-Term Lease Investment Act
Sponsor: Thom Tillis
1 cosponsor
Official summary
No official summary yet.
Text of the bill
Where this section came from
-
Jul 29, 2025 · Introduced in Senate Referred to Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, Jul 29, 2025
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Sep 30, 2026 · Engrossed in Senate
(a) In general.
The
Subject to subsections (b) and (c), the
Secretary of the Interior (acting through the Director of the National Park Service) (referred to in this
section
Act
as the Secretary) may extend a lease entered into under part 18 of title 36, Code of Federal Regulations (as in effect on January 3, 2025), without complying with the requirements of
sections
section
18.7
, 18.8,
or 18.
8
10
of that part, if—
… 4 unchanged passages …
(b)
Revision
Requirement. Before extending a lease under subsection (a), the Secretary shall— (1) publish a notice, for a period
of
regulation
not less than 60 days, inviting letters of interest from other qualified entities to operate the lease on expiration; (2) evaluate any competing letter of interest received under paragraph (1) as compared to the terms offered, planned capital investment, and quality of visitor services provided by the incumbent lessee; and (3) if the Secretary determines that a competing letter of interest would provide better terms than the continued operation of the incumbent lease— (A) decline to extend the lease under subsection (a); and (B) in lieu of such an extension, offer the lease for competitive bidding in accordance with sections 18
.
7
Not
and
later
18.8 of title 36, Code of Federal Regulations (or successor regulations). (c) Congressional notification required for certain lease extensions. In the case of a proposed lease extension under subsection (a) for a duration of more
than
90
10 years, the Secretary may not grant the proposed lease extension until the date that is not less than 30
days after the date
on which the Secretary submits to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources
of
enactment
the Senate and the Committee on Natural Resources
of
this
the
Act,
House of Representatives
the
Secretary
proposed lease extension. (d) Mid-term compliance review. (1) In general. Not later than the date that is the midpoint of the term of a lease extended under subsection (a), the Director of the National Park Service
shall
revise
prepare and submit to the Secretary of the Interior a report evaluating the compliance by the lessee with the terms and conditions of the extended lease, including with respect to rent, maintenance, insurance, and permitted-use requirements under the lease and
part 18 of title 36, Code of Federal Regulations
(or successor regulations). (2) Review and determination. Not later than 60 days after receiving a report under paragraph (1), the Secretary of the Interior shall— (A) review the report; and (B) based on the findings included in the report
,
to
determine
reflect
whether
the
authority
lessee
granted
that is the subject of the report remains in compliance with the terms and conditions of the applicable extended lease. (3) Termination for noncompliance. If the Secretary of the Interior determines
under
subsection
paragraph
(
2) that
a
lessee is not in compliance with the terms and conditions of an extended lease under this section, the Secretary of the Interior may— (A) terminate the lease extension in accordance with the termination-for-cause or default provisions required under section 18.12(a) of title 36, Code of Federal Regulations (or a successor regulation); and (B) after such termination, make the applicable property available for lease through a request for bids or a request for proposals under section 18.7 or 18.8, respectively, of that title (or successor regulations
).
(4) Rule of construction. Nothing in this subsection limits any other right of the Secretary of the Interior to terminate a lease for cause or default in accordance with the terms of the lease or applicable law.
(a) In general. Subject to subsections (b) and (c), the Secretary of the Interior (acting through the Director of the National Park Service) (referred to in this Act as the Secretary) may extend a lease entered into under part 18 of title 36, Code of Federal Regulations (as in effect on January 3, 2025), without complying with the requirements of section 18.7, 18.8, or 18.10 of that part, if—
(1) the lessee—
(A) entered into the lease not less than 5 years before the date on which the extension takes effect; and
(B) is in compliance with the terms and conditions of the lease; and
(2) the Secretary determines that extending the lease is in the best interests of the administration of the applicable unit of the National Park System.
(b) Requirement. Before extending a lease under subsection (a), the Secretary shall—
(1) publish a notice, for a period of not less than 60 days, inviting letters of interest from other qualified entities to operate the lease on expiration;
(2) evaluate any competing letter of interest received under paragraph (1) as compared to the terms offered, planned capital investment, and quality of visitor services provided by the incumbent lessee; and
(3) if the Secretary determines that a competing letter of interest would provide better terms than the continued operation of the incumbent lease—
(A) decline to extend the lease under subsection (a); and
(B) in lieu of such an extension, offer the lease for competitive bidding in accordance with sections 18.7 and 18.8 of title 36, Code of Federal Regulations (or successor regulations).
(c) Congressional notification required for certain lease extensions. In the case of a proposed lease extension under subsection (a) for a duration of more than 10 years, the Secretary may not grant the proposed lease extension until the date that is not less than 30 days after the date on which the Secretary submits to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources of the Senate and the Committee on Natural Resources of the House of Representatives the proposed lease extension.
(d) Mid-term compliance review
(1) In general. Not later than the date that is the midpoint of the term of a lease extended under subsection (a), the Director of the National Park Service shall prepare and submit to the Secretary of the Interior a report evaluating the compliance by the lessee with the terms and conditions of the extended lease, including with respect to rent, maintenance, insurance, and permitted-use requirements under the lease and part 18 of title 36, Code of Federal Regulations (or successor regulations).
(2) Review and determination. Not later than 60 days after receiving a report under paragraph (1), the Secretary of the Interior shall—
(A) review the report; and
(B) based on the findings included in the report, determine whether the lessee that is the subject of the report remains in compliance with the terms and conditions of the applicable extended lease.
(3) Termination for noncompliance. If the Secretary of the Interior determines under paragraph (2) that a lessee is not in compliance with the terms and conditions of an extended lease under this section, the Secretary of the Interior may—
(A) terminate the lease extension in accordance with the termination-for-cause or default provisions required under section 18.12(a) of title 36, Code of Federal Regulations (or a successor regulation); and
(B) after such termination, make the applicable property available for lease through a request for bids or a request for proposals under section 18.7 or 18.8, respectively, of that title (or successor regulations).
(4) Rule of construction. Nothing in this subsection limits any other right of the Secretary of the Interior to terminate a lease for cause or default in accordance with the terms of the lease or applicable law.