H.R. 8258

Federal Interior Land Media (FILM) Act

STATEMENT OF KYM A. HALL, REGIONAL DIRECTOR, NATIONAL CAPITAL REGION, NATIONAL PARK SERVICE, U.S. DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR, BEFORE THE HOUSE NATURAL RESOURCES SUBCOMMITTEE ON NATIONAL PARKS, FORESTS, AND PUBLIC LANDS CONCERNING H.R. 8258, THE FEDERAL INTERIOR LAND MEDIA ACT.

JULY 14, 2022

Chair Neguse, Ranking Member Fulcher, and members of the Subcommittee, thank you for the opportunity to present the Department of the Interior’s views on H.R. 8258, the Federal Interior Land Media Act. 

H.R. 8258 would provide exceptions from permitting and fee requirements for content creation, regardless of distribution platform, including still photography, digital or analog video, and digital or analog audio recording activities, conducted on land under the jurisdiction of the Secretary of Agriculture and the Secretary of the Interior.  

In litigation pending before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit, Price v. Garland, No. 21-5073 (D.C. Cir.), a federal district court ruled that aspects of the existing commercial filming statute for the National Park Service violated the First Amendment.  Judicial resolution of this pending litigation would inform whether and how Congress may choose to legislate in this area. 

The Department would like to work with the Committee and bill sponsor on this issue once a decision is rendered in the case to consider legislative or other approaches to balance the interests and rights of those engaged in filming, photography, and audio recording activities with the government’s interest in protecting lands and resources. 

Chair Neguse, this concludes my statement. I would be please to answer any questions you or other members of the Subcommittee may have.

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