Sen. Mark Kelly, and Arizona Democrat, has introduced legislation calling for terminated Park Service and Forest Service employees to be rehired/Rebecca Latson file

A half-dozen Democrats in the U.S. Senate are supporting legislation that, if approved, would restore staffing levels for the National Park Service and the U.S. Forest Service.

Sen. Mark Kelly, D-Arizona, introduced the legislation, the Save Our Parks Act of 2025 and Save Our Forests Act of 2025, on Thursday, the same day a federal judge ruled that Park Service and Forest Service employees wrongfully terminated on Valentine's Day had to be rehired. Judge William Allsup ruled that the termination of probationary federal employees was illegal because the Office of Personnel Management had no authority to order it. 

The legislation calls for the two land-management agencies to rehire any workers whose positions were terminated during the 21-day period that ended February 25.

"[President] Trump’s indiscriminate firings are directly affecting Arizona families. 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," said Kelly. "And when the Forest Service can’t properly prepare for fire season, Arizona communities 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.”

Sen. Tina Smith, a Minnesota Democrat who brought a recently fired park ranger from Voyageurs National Park to the State of the Union address, pointed out that "National Park Service workers like park rangers keep us safe in some of our country’s most wild and extreme areas, including places like Voyageurs National Park in northern Minnesota. U.S. Forest Service workers keep our forest areas healthy and productive, including the largest forest east of the Mississippi River, the Superior National Forest. I’ve met these fired workers, I’ve heard their stories and losing them makes our most cherished wild areas less safe and less cared for.

"Elon Musk indiscriminately and illegally fired thousands of the workers meant to keep these areas safe, including Minnesotans who worked with loggers to sell timber in a way that protected the health of our forests and park rangers up at Voyageurs," she added. "Republicans are risking the longevity of our parks and forests all to pay for tax breaks for billionaires and big corporations. These bills are commonsense proposals that clarify that Congress — and only Congress — has the power to decide where we spend tax dollars.” 

Smith said the mass firings have led to significant staffing reductions at national parks, including Voyageurs in northern Minnesota, negatively impacting visitor experiences, safety and park maintenance efforts. The legislation also directs that critical projects, including those funded under the Great American Outdoors Act, Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, Inflation Reduction Act, and Federal Lands Recreation Enhancement Act, continue in progress.

Other co-sponsors were Ruben Gallego (D-AZ), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), John Hickenlooper (D-CO), and Chris Van Hollen (D-MD).

“From Horseshoe Bend to the Grand Canyon to Saguaro National Park, Arizona’s public lands are central to our state’s identity and drivers of local economies," said Gallego. "Elon Musk and his [Department of Government Efficiency] minions are willing to put that at risk and jeopardize Arizonans’ safety so they can give tax cuts to their billionaire buddies. I’m proud to join Senator Kelly in fighting to ensure that our national parks are fully staffed, and our national forests are safely managed.”   

Shaheen said that "[A]nyone who has hiked the Appalachian Trail through the White Mountain National Forest or visited Saint-Gaudens in New Hampshire knows just how spectacular our public lands can be. Without proper staffing and resources, public safety, ecosystems and local economies will all suffer. I’m proud to join my colleagues in introducing legislation to restore national park and Forest Service employees who were unjustly fired by the Trump administration and ensure the investments Congress has made in our outdoor economy continue to flow as intended.”