Political Quotes

“Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of the Restore Our Parks Act, and I thank Mr. Bishop for his leadership and partnership on this bill. I was lucky enough to grow up near one of the crown jewels of our national park system, the Olympic National Park, right in my backyard in the Pacific Northwest. I have seen firsthand how our public lands have captivated both visitors and residents alike and served as key economic drivers for our local communities. I think there is little doubt that our national parks are some of America's greatest natural and cultural treasures. I am proud that my home State boasts not only Olympic National Park, but also Mount Rainier National Park and North Cascades National Park, true gems of the national park system. Unfortunately, these crown jewels are getting a bit rusty, and they require our attention to return them to glory. If you have visited one of our parks lately, you will no doubt have noticed that they are facing a good problem. In 2017, Washington State had a record 8.45 million park visitors, including families, campers, and adventurers, who came to explore our iconic landscapes. While they were there, these visitors spent more than $500 million, supported more than 6,600 jobs, and created nearly $700 million in economic impact.…”