In January, Elfreth introduced the Prohibit Partisan Park Passes Act alongside Senator Jeff Merkley (D-OR) to prohibit the National Park Service from issuing America the Beautiful Passes – physical or digital – with the image or likeness of any living political figure.
Sarah Elfreth is committed to prohibiting the National Park Service from issuing America the Beautiful passes with the image or likeness of any living political figure.
Occurrences
Evidence
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Ms. Elfreth introduced H.R. 7251, a bill “to amend the Federal Lands Recreation Enhancement Act to prohibit the use of the image of living political figures on the America the Beautiful—the National Parks and Federal Recreational Lands Pass.” The text would add that the pass image “may not include a living current or former elected official or other living political figure.”
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The draft bill states that the image used on the National Parks and Federal Recreational Lands Pass “may not include a living current or former elected official or other living political figure.”
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The release says Elfreth and Merkley introduced the Prohibit Partisan Park Passes Act, “which would explicitly prohibit the National Park Service from issuing America the Beautiful Passes – physical or digital – with the image or likeness of any living political figures.”
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Elfreth said she had introduced the Prohibit Partisan Park Passes Act “to prohibit the National Park Service from issuing America the Beautiful Passes – physical or digital – with the image or likeness of any living political figure.” She also questioned the Interior Secretary about “the unprecedented, partisan decision to issue national park passes with President Trump's face.”
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Congressional Record index entries for Sarah Elfreth include a reference to a measure to “prohibit use of image of living political figures on America the Beautiful—National Parks and Federal Recreation Lands Pass (see H.R. …).”
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H.R. 7251 was introduced by Rep. Sarah Elfreth and referred to the Natural Resources and Agriculture committees. The bill would amend 16 U.S.C. 6804 so that the National Parks and Federal Recreational Lands Pass image may not include a living current or former elected official or other living political figure.
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Elfreth's office announced that she and Sen. Merkley introduced the Prohibit Partisan Park Passes Act, described as legislation to explicitly prohibit NPS from issuing America the Beautiful passes, physical or digital, with the image or likeness of any living political figure.
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Sen. Merkley's office likewise reported that Elfreth and Merkley introduced legislation to bar America the Beautiful passes from carrying the image or likeness of living political figures.
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The U.S. Code provision for the America the Beautiful pass requires an annual public image competition, but the text shown does not contain H.R. 7251's proposed living-political-figure prohibition.
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DOI announced updated America the Beautiful pass graphics and digital passes launching January 1, 2026, under President Trump's leadership; it did not announce a ban on living political figures on pass imagery.
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The NPS pass page lists current America the Beautiful pass types, prices, and 2026 fee-free days, with no stated rule barring living political figures from pass imagery.
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09-08-2026 | S.3735 | Prohibit Partisan Park Passes Act Latest Action: Read twice and referred
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Total number of public laws: 36. This page was last reviewed on September 14, 2026.
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SEC. 710. PROHIBIT PARTISAN PARK PASSES ACT.
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The image used on the National Parks and Federal Recreational Lands Pass may not include a living current or former elected official
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This bill has the status Introduced
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Text contains those laws in effect on September 12, 2026
Assessments
Elfreth materially pursued the promise in her current House term by introducing H.R. 7251, the Prohibit Partisan Park Passes Act, and continuing oversight pressure in May 2026. The bill text matches the promised prohibition, but the evidence shows it was introduced and referred to committees, not enacted, and no NPS or statutory source shows the prohibition is currently in force. Because she made a serious legislative attempt but the promised policy outcome has not been delivered, this is scored as never with an effort badge.
Elfreth clearly took concrete action to pursue the promised prohibition by drafting and introducing H.R. 7251, the Prohibit Partisan Park Passes Act, with bill text that matches the claim. She also continued advocating for the policy in 2026, including questioning the Interior Secretary. However, the evidence provided shows introduction and advocacy only, not enactment of the prohibition or a binding administrative change by the National Park Service. Because the promise remains actively pursued but not yet achieved, the best judgment is unresolved rather than delivered. The effort badge is warranted because she made a serious legislative attempt during the same term.