Lisa Murkowski: “today the Senate has just passed landmark legislation which will serve to restore, reinvigorate and rebuild our National…”

“today the Senate has just passed landmark legislation which will serve to restore, reinvigorate and rebuild our National Park System. S. 1693 addresses a wide variety of Park Service operations from failing infrastructure to improve management and accountability for park programs. The Administration reports that it will take over $8 billion to bring our park facilities, historic structures, roads and trails up to an acceptable standard. Over the years while we have expanded the National Park System with new units and new responsibilities we have deferred maintenance and reduced funding in many important park programs. As a result we now have what can be best described as a National Park System that is worn-out and broken--a System in need of attention. Quite frankly, Congress does not have the available monies to address or devote to the problems currently encountered by park managers, however meritorious they may be. During this Congress, Senator Thomas, Chairman of the Subcommittee on National Parks, Historic Preservation and Recreation, has take a pro-active approach to National Park Service reform.”