U.S. Sen. Mark Kelly, D-Arizona, has introduced bills to restore staffing at the U.S. Forest Service and the National Park Service, which oversees the state’s Grand Canyon.
One measure is the Protect Our Parks Act of 2025. The other is known as the Save Our Forests Act of 2025.
Arizona has 22 national parks, including the Grand Canyon, according to the park service. One of the states co-sponsoring Kelly’s bill, Colorado, has 17 monuments, historic sites and trails, and national parks such as Rocky Mountain.
Kelly said the bills will restore staffing levels at both federal agencies and ensure that national parks and forests not only remain accessible, but are safe and well-maintained during the Trump administration.
“Trump’s indiscriminate firings are directly affecting Arizona families,” Kelly said in a press release. “When there aren’t enough staff at the gates of the Grand Canyon, Petrified Forest, Saguaro and other national parks around the state, that means visitors are stuck in long lines and local businesses suffer.”
According to Kelly’s office, mass firings by the Trump administration have resulted in what Kelly described as “significant staffing reductions” at the Grand Canyon and other national parks, which is “negatively impacting visitor experiences” and efforts to maintain the areas.
Meanwhile, Kelly said critical infrastructure projects including one that supplies water to the South Rim and Tusayan, Arizona are delayed.
Kelly added that “when the Forest Service can’t properly prepare for fire season,” the communities of Arizona are at risk.
“We’re doing right by hardworking federal employees and ensuring our parks and forests have the staff they need to stay open, keep visitors safe and get critical projects done on time,” the senator said.
Sen. Ruben Gallego, D-Arizona, is a co-sponsor of these bills, as well as Sens. John Hickenlooper, D-Colorado; Jeanne Shaheen, D-New Hampshire; Tina Smith, D-Minnesota, and Chris Van Hollen, D-Maryland.
“Elon Musk and his DOGE minions are willing to put that at risk and jeopardize Arizonans’ safety so they can give tax cuts to their billionaire buddies,” said Gallego. “I’m proud to join Sen. Kelly in fighting to ensure that our national parks are fully staffed and our national forests are safely managed.”
Local elected leaders in Arizona have also thrown their support behind these bills. They include Cottonwood Mayor Ann Shaw, Clarkdale Mayor Robyn Prud’homme-Bauer and Yavapai County Supervisor Brooks Compton.
The Trump administration says staffing changes are part of a larger effort to cut spending and get the nation’s debt under control.
