The Congressional Record is a unique source of public documentation. It started in 1873, documenting nearly all the major and minor policies being discussed and debated.
“UNDERFUNDING NATIONAL PARKS” mentioning the Department of Interior was published in the House of Representatives section on pages H1202 on Feb. 15, 2018.
The Department oversees more than 500 million acres of land. Downsizing the Federal Government, a project aimed at lowering taxes and boosting federal efficiency, said the department has contributed to a growing water crisis and holds many lands which could be better managed.
The publication is reproduced in full below:
UNDERFUNDING NATIONAL PARKS
(Mr. HUFFMAN asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
Mr. HUFFMAN. Madam Speaker, from the mighty redwoods to the headlands and beaches of the Golden Gate National Recreation Area in my bay area, backyard to the ancient sequoias of Yosemite, to the scorching deserts of Death Valley, we know our national parks are worth protecting.
Parks not only protect nature and wildlife but our history, too. And they are economic engines supporting thousands of jobs. But Donald Trump's dirty budget and infrastructure scam would bulldoze right through this American success story.
Trump is proposing a 7 percent cut to the National Park Service, meaning even less maintenance and visitor services, and a 17 percent cut to the Department of the Interior overall, while giving Secretary Ryan Zinke free rein to continue his drilling spree on our public lands.
These cuts, combined with Trump's ongoing effort to hike entry fees for working families, threaten access to these places that drive millions of visitors to our communities and small businesses each year, while generating hundreds of millions of dollars in economic activity.
Underfunding our national parks puts visitor access at risk. We should reject this budget and work together.
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