George Miller: “I rise to draw the attention of the House to a crime bill provision that came out of the Natural Resources Committee.…”

“I rise to draw the attention of the House to a crime bill provision that came out of the Natural Resources Committee. Those of us who believe this bill should address more than the aftermath of crime are convinced that recreation can be an effective tool in weaning young people away from a life of gangs, drugs and the streets. The Urban Parks and Recreation Recovery Program of the National Park Service was authorized in 1978 to provide matching grants to economically distressed cities to build parks and recreation centers and provide programs aimed at inner city youth. It did a great job until 1985, when the administration and Congress stopped funding it. In the last 2 years, it has gotten a paltry $5 million per year. The Natural Resources Committee has updated the program to make sure that high-crime urban neighborhoods are targeted and that programs directed at youth considered at-risk receive priority. I have been simply amazed and gratified at the outpouring of support for this notion in the very short period of time since we launched this initiative.”