{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://www.gallego.senate.gov/news/press-releases/gallego-backs-legislation-to-codify-fee-free-days-of-public-service-on-federal-lands/", "Gallego Backs Legislation to Codify Fee-Free Days of Public Service on Federal Lands", "2025-12-11", "2025", "2025-12", "Democrat", "Senate", "AZ", "Ruben Gallego", "G000574", "www.gallego.senate.gov", "gallego", "https://www.gallego.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/", "scraper", "Last Week, Donald Trump Removed MLK Day and Juneteenth from List of Fee-Free Days, Included His Birthday Instead\n\nWASHINGTON \u2013 Senator Ruben Gallego (D-AZ) backs the Encouraging Public Service in Our National Parks and Public Land Act to codify six days where visitors to National Parks and other federal lands can enter free-of-charge. This legislation would direct the Secretary of the Interior to officially designate Martin Luther King, Jr.\u2019s Birthday, the first day of National Park Week, Juneteenth, Great American Outdoors Day, National Public Lands Day, and Veterans Day as fee-free entry days.\n\n\u201cCutting two national holidays, when many families are already off of work and school, from the list of free entry days will prevent millions of working families from getting outside and enjoying the beauty and recreation our national parks offer,\u201d said Senator Gallego. \u201cI\u2019m proud to support this bill to restore these important holidays and make sure the focus stays on the parks, not the president\u2019s pride.\u201d\n\nSince the National Park System and other land management agencies began collecting entry and recreation fees, the Department of the Interior has offered fee-free days to promote America\u2019s public lands and encourage visitors to volunteer in the National Parks, especially on select federal holidays where many Americans already have the day off. Last week, the Trump Administration cut Martin Luther King, Jr.\u2019s Birthday and Juneteenth, two holidays honoring Black history, from its list of free entrance days next year and replaced them with his birthday.\n\nThis legislation would restore these two holidays to the list of free entrance days and make a list of public service days permanently fee-free. Additional free entry days would be possible at the discretion of the Secretary of the Interior.\n\nThe dates are as follows:\n\nMartin Luther King, Jr.\u2019s Birthday, the third Monday in January\n\nThe first day of National Park Week in April\n\nJuneteenth, June 19\n\nGreat American Outdoors Day, August 4\n\nNational Public Lands Day, the fourth Saturday in September\n\nVeterans Day, November 11\n\nRead the bill HERE.\n\n12/11/25", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T20:09:11Z"]], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "primary_key_values": ["https://www.gallego.senate.gov/news/press-releases/gallego-backs-legislation-to-codify-fee-free-days-of-public-service-on-federal-lands/"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 0.9100059978663921, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}