Malcolm Wallop: “my opposition to S. 208 is very simple. Enactment of this legislation will: First, seriously undermine a very successful…”

“my opposition to S. 208 is very simple. Enactment of this legislation will: First, seriously undermine a very successful system under which the private sector has financed and provided quality services to the public at reasonable rates; Second, place increases pressures on an already overextended National Park Service budget; Third, result in totally unnecessary Federal expenditures at the expense of not only the National Park Service, but all agencies which must compete for funds from the Interior and Related Agencies Appropriation account; Fourth, reduce Federal revenues; and Fifth, threaten National Park System resources. Under the present system the Concession Policy Act of 1965, the private sector--not the Federal Government--provides visitor services. When Congress passed the Concession Policy Act in 1965, we intended to discourage the turnover of concession operations. As a matter of Federal policy, we decided that the private sector should be encouraged to provide visitor services. They would be regulated and would be allowed to make a reasonable profit. In exchange, they, not the Federal Government and the taxpayers, would be required to raise the capital to construct and maintain facilities to standards set by the Federal Government. Continuity of good services at reasonable rates to our park visitors was judged to be more important than the collection of receipts.…”