National Parks Are Truly Our National Treasures

Statement

"From Yellowstone National Park to the Everglades and Acadia National Park to Yosemite, our national parks are among our nation's most treasured national assets and have been rightly called our nation's "crown jewels." Not only do our national parks drive the economies of gateway communities like many in Idaho, but they provide more than 275 million Americans each year with the opportunity to get outdoors and learn about the places and people of our great country.

"As our economy struggles to recover and gas prices have made it more cost prohibitive to travel overseas, we are gaining a greater appreciation for what we have here at home. In 2009 visitation at national parks reached almost record levels, with Yellowstone, America's first national park, seeing its highest visitation ever. People who grew up spending summers camping, hiking, or fishing in national parks are now taking their own families there to recreate those memories. A new generation of Americans is discovering the history, culture, and natural world that make up this great country.

"In Idaho, we tend to think of our national parks in terms of great outdoor experiences. I spent many of my childhood summers at Yellowstone, and other Idahoans travel every year to go camping at Craters of the Moon, hiking at Glacier National Park in Montana, or rock climbing at City of Rocks. But our parks and national historic sites are as diverse as our population. This year Americans are commemorating the 150th anniversary of the beginning of the Civil War by visiting battle sites like Gettysburg and Manassas. Students from all over the country travel to Washington, DC, each year, visiting sites that commemorate events like World War II and influential Americans like George Washington on the National Mall.

"I am a lifelong supporter of our national parks. As the Chairman of the House Interior and Environment Appropriations Subcommittee, which oversees funding for the National Park Service, I recognize that there are a number of challenges facing our parks, not the least of which is that we have a tendency to love our parks to death. As we approach the centennial celebration of the National Park Service in 2016, we must set careful priorities and do more with limited resources to restore and maintain our beautiful parks so that future generations can enjoy them. Doing so will require the support and partnership of the Americans who visit them to experience our country and create lasting memories for their families. I encourage you to visit a national park--or three or four--this summer. It will undoubtedly be an experience that your family will cherish for years to come."

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