Mike Levin: “I strongly object to the Department of Interior funding bill before the House today. Once again, the Republican majority…”

“I strongly object to the Department of Interior funding bill before the House today. Once again, the Republican majority has brought a bill to the floor that shortchanges our nation's Natural resources and attacks the environment. The priorities of the majority party never cease to amaze me. Just last week, the House approved a defense appropriation bill that provides $11 billion more for military spending than even the Pentagon requested. At the same time, critical nondefense programs such as our national parks are underfunded. The Interior bill before us today cuts $285 million from the President's request for the National Park Service. Years of lean budgets have forced the park system to defer maintenance and cut staff. As a result, our parks are increasingly falling into disrepair. Ironically, resources for the park system continue to decline at a time when more and more Americans are visiting our national parks. This year, the number of visits to national parks will rise to 270 million. One national park superintendent put it this way: 'Visitors [to the nation's national parks] will notice a major difference in park operations this year. I the years ahead . . . protecting resources and providing for visitor use will be increasingly compromised.' I likewise am concerned that this bill reduces funding for energy conservation programs $235 million below the administration's request.”