The America the Beautiful Act, introduced by Senator Steve Daines in May 2025, aims to extend and enhance funding for the maintenance and restoration of U.S. public lands. Specifically, it seeks to reauthorize the National Parks and Public Land Legacy Restoration Fund through 2033, increasing its annual funding from $1.9 billion to $2 billion. The bill also broadens the scope of projects eligible for funding to include all lands managed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, not just those within the National Wildlife Refuge System. Additionally, it prioritizes projects that receive at least 15% of their funding from private donations.
Supporters of the America the Beautiful Act commend its commitment to preserving and enhancing the nation's public lands. By increasing funding and extending the program's duration, the bill is seen as a proactive step toward addressing the backlog of maintenance issues in national parks and wildlife areas. The inclusion of private donations is also viewed positively, as it encourages public-private partnerships and community involvement in conservation efforts.
Critics of the bill express concerns about the increased federal spending, questioning the necessity of raising the annual funding to $2 billion. Some argue that the emphasis on private donations could lead to unequal distribution of resources, favoring projects with greater access to private funding. Additionally, there are apprehensions about the bill's potential to expand federal oversight over public lands, which some view as an overreach.
The America the Beautiful Act, sponsored by Steve Daines, does not show direct industry overlaps with the sponsor's top donor industries, which indicates a lower risk of conflicts of interest. While there is significant lobbying activity in the bill's policy area, particularly from The Ferguson Group on behalf of various entities, none of these are directly linked to Daines's top donors. The largest lobbying expenditure comes from Fresenius Kabi USA LLC, contributing $1,100,000, but this does not correlate with Daines's donor industries. Therefore, the potential for conflicts appears minimal, as there are no direct financial ties between the bill's subject matter and the sponsor's financial backers.
Organizations that lobbied on issues related to this bill's policy area.
| Client | Lobbying Firm | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| FRESENIUS KABI USA LLC | FRESENIUS KABI USA LLC | $1,100,000 |
| CONSEJO COORDINADOR EMPRESARIAL | IQOM STRATEGIC ADVISORS, LLC | $140,000 |
| IVANHOE ATLANTIC (FORMERLY HIGH POWER EXPLORATION INC.) | YORKTOWN SOLUTIONS | $120,000 |
| SKYRYSE, INC. | SKYRYSE, INC. | $70,000 |
| AIS HEALTHCARE | MCGUIREWOODS CONSULTING (A SUBSIDIARY OF MCGUIREWOODS LLP) | $20,000 |
| THE FERGUSON GROUP, LLC ON BEHALF OF WEST COUNTY WASTEWATER DISTRICT, CA | EARL STOCKDALE | undisclosed |
| THE FERGUSON GROUP, LLC FOR CITY OF OCEANSIDE CA | EARL STOCKDALE | undisclosed |
| THE FERGUSON GROUP, LLC ON BEHALF OF WARD & SMITH (FOR BALD HEAD ISLAND) | EARL STOCKDALE | undisclosed |
| THE FERGUSON GROUP, LLC ON BEHALF OF WARD & SMITH, PA (FOR HOLDEN BEACH, NC) | EARL STOCKDALE | undisclosed |
| CORE POWER (US) INC. | INVARIANT LLC | undisclosed |
| ICON TECHNOLOGY, INC. | INVARIANT LLC | undisclosed |
| HUBBS-SEAWORLD RESEARCH INSTITUTE | HAMMER ASSOCIATES, LLC | undisclosed |
| THE POLICY SHOP LLC | JAVELIN ADVISORS LLC | undisclosed |
| NATIONAL ALLIANCE OF HEALTHCARE PURCHASER COALITIONS | NATIONAL ALLIANCE OF HEALTHCARE PURCHASER COALITIONS | undisclosed |
| EARTHSHIP CORPORATION | RED DOOR CONSULTING, LLC | undisclosed |
Source: Senate Lobbying Disclosure Act (LDA) filings, 2026
