December 15, 2025 10:40 a.m. 

On Friday, U.S. Senator Ron Wyden said he had joined Senate and House colleagues to introduce legislation that would guarantee that visitors can enter National Parks and other federal lands free-of-charge six days a year.

A release said the Encouraging Public Service in Our National Parks and Public Land Act would direct the secretary of the interior to officially designate Martin Luther King’s birthday, the first day of National Park Week, Juneteenth, Great American Outdoor Day, National Public Lands Day and Veterans Day as fee-free entry days.

Wyden said, “It is practically embedded in the DNA of all Oregonians to be good stewards of our beautiful natural spaces”. Wyden said, “With this legislation, I hope to export Oregonians’ rich history of forest stewardship and support for outdoor economies, and I will continue to advocate for solutions that protect and expand access to our nation’s scenic public lands”.

The release said last week, the Trump Administration cut Martin Luther King Jr’s birthday and Juneteenth, two holiday’s honoring black history, from its list of free entrance days next year, and replaced them with Trump’s birthday.

The 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 days would be possible at the discretion of the Secretary of the Interior.