    [Senate Hearing 119-238]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]

                                                          S. Hrg. 119-238

                              PENDING LEGISLATION
    =======================================================================

                                    HEARING

                                   BEFORE THE

                         SUBCOMMITTEE ON NATIONAL PARKS

                                     OF THE

                                  COMMITTEE ON
                          ENERGY AND NATURAL RESOURCES
                              UNITED STATES SENATE

                        ONE HUNDRED NINETEENTH CONGRESS

                                 FIRST SESSION

                                       on

    S. 290                                      S. 1131                             S. 2270
    S. 332                                      S. 1135                             S. 2308
    S. 446                                      S. 1280                             S. 2369
    S. 573                                      S. 1353                             S. 2385
    S. 601                                      S. 1377                             S. 2546
    S. 730                                      S. 1518                             S. 2708
    S. 791                                      S. 1777                             S. 2970
    S. 858/H.R. 186                             S. 1870                             H.R. 249
    S. 1088                                     S. 1926

                                   __________

                                DECEMBER 9, 2025

                                   __________

    [GRAPHIC NOT AVAILABLE IN TIFF FORMAT]

                           Printed for the use of the
                    Committee on Energy and Natural Resources

            Available via the World Wide Web: http://www.govinfo.gov
                                   __________

                        U.S. GOVERNMENT PUBLISHING OFFICE
    62-251                      WASHINGTON: 2026
    =======================================================================

                   COMMITTEE ON ENERGY AND NATURAL RESOURCES

                            MIKE LEE, Utah, Chairman
    JOHN BARRASSO, Wyoming               MARTIN HEINRICH, New Mexico
    JAMES E. RISCH, Idaho                RON WYDEN, Oregon
    STEVE DAINES, Montana                MARIA CANTWELL, Washington
    TOM COTTON, Arkansas                 MAZIE K. HIRONO, Hawaii
    DAVID McCORMICK, Pennsylvania        ANGUS S. KING, JR., Maine
    JAMES C. JUSTICE, West Virginia      CATHERINE CORTEZ MASTO, Nevada
    BILL CASSIDY, Louisiana              JOHN W. HICKENLOOPER, Colorado
    CINDY HYDE-SMITH, Mississippi        ALEX PADILLA, California
    LISA MURKOWSKI, Alaska               RUBEN GALLEGO, Arizona
    JOHN HOEVEN, North Dakota
                                     ------

                         Subcommittee on National Parks

                             Steve Daines, Co-Chair

    JOHN BARRASSO                        ANGUS S. KING, JR., Co-Chair
    BILL CASSIDY                         MAZIE K. HIRONO
    LISA MURKOWSKI                       RUBEN GALLEGO

                      Wendy Baig, Majority Staff Director
        Chris Prandoni, Majority Deputy Staff Director and Chief Counsel
               David Gardner, Majority Professional Staff Member
                     Jasmine Hunt, Minority Staff Director
                     Sam E. Fowler, Minority Chief Counsel
                Rachel Lentz, Minority Professional Staff Member

                               C O N T E N T S

                                  ----------

                               OPENING STATEMENTS

                                                                       Page
    Daines, Hon. Steve, Subcommittee Co-Chair and a U.S. Senator from

      Montana........................................................     1
    King, Jr., Hon. Angus S., Subcommittee Co-Chair and a U.S.
      Senator from Maine.............................................     6
    Barrasso, Hon. John, a U.S. Senator from Wyoming.................    12
    Heinrich, Hon. Martin, a U.S. Senator from New Mexico............    13
    Padilla, Hon. Alex, a U.S. Senator from California...............    14

                                   WITNESSES
                                    Panel 1

    Kaine, Hon. Tim, a U.S. Senator from Virginia....................    15
    Van Hollen, Hon. Chris, a U.S. Senator from Maryland.............    16

                                    Panel 2

    Caldwell, Michael A., Associate Director, Park Planning,
      Facilities, and Lands, National Park Service, U.S. Department
      of the Interior................................................    18

              ALPHABETICAL LISTING AND APPENDIX MATERIAL SUBMITTED

    Agenda...........................................................     3
    Altamaha Riverkeeper:
        Letter for the Record........................................   117
    Anderjaska, Vassiliki:
        Letter for the Record........................................    64
    Appalachian Trail Conservancy:
        Statement for the Record.....................................    50
        Consolidated Questions Based on Appalachian Trail Centennial
          Act Overview Factsheet.....................................    57
    Barrasso, Hon. John:
        Opening Statement............................................    12
    Bloom, Mel:
        Letter for the Record........................................    65
    Buckner, Jackie:
        Letter for the Record........................................   191
    Caldwell, Michael A.:
        Opening Statement............................................    18
        Written Testimony............................................    20
        Questions for the Record.....................................    46
    Cassidy, Chris:
        Statement for the Record.....................................   108
    Chasing Horses Wild Horse Advocates:
        Letter for the Record........................................    66
    (The) Conservation Fund:
        Letter for the Record........................................   120
    Coppotelli, Heide Catherina:
        Letter for the Record........................................    70
    Daines, Hon. Steve:
        Opening Statement............................................     1
    Dawson, Mike et al.:
        Statement for the Record.....................................    71
    Development Authority of the City of Jeffersonville and Twiggs
      County:
        Letter for the Record........................................   165
    Duffy, Jennifer:
        Letter for the Record........................................    82
    Englehardt, Tammy:
        Letter for the Record........................................    83
    Ensign, Dianne:
        Letter for the Record........................................    84
    Esposito, Susan:
        Letter for the Record........................................    85
    Georgia Chamber of Commerce:
        Letter for the Record........................................   121
    Georgia Conservancy:
        Letter for the Record........................................   123
    Georgia Council of Trout Unlimited:
        Letter for the Record........................................   160
    Georgia Department of Natural Resources:
        Letter for the Record........................................   125
    Georgia Mining Association:
        Letter for the Record........................................   127
    Georgia Wildlife Federation:
        Letter for the Record........................................   128
    Gheesling, Angie:
        Letter for the Record........................................   140
    Giese, Mark M.:
        Letter for the Record........................................    86
    Greater Macon Chamber of Commerce:
        Letter for the Record........................................   131
    Hamilton Partnership for Paterson:
        Letter for the Record........................................    87
    Heinrich, Hon. Martin:
        Opening Statement............................................    13
    Heins, Jill M.:
        Letter for the Record........................................    88
    Houston County (GA) Board of Commissioners:
        Letter for the Record........................................   136
    Ice Age Trail Alliance:
        Letter for the Record........................................    89
    Inter-Tribal Council of the Five Civilized Tribes:
        Resolution No. 24-11.........................................   143
    James-Poole, Diane:
        Letter for the Record........................................   183
    Jones, Eva:
        Letter for the Record........................................    91
    Justice, Hon. James C.:
        Statement for the Record.....................................    92
    Kaine, Hon. Tim:
        Opening Statement............................................    15
    Kenney, Raya:
        Statement for the Record.....................................    94
    King, Jr., Hon. Angus S.:
        Opening Statement............................................     6
        Side-by-side comparison of the FY25 and FY26 National Park
          Service Budget Justifications..............................     7
        Chart entitled ``NPS Visitation vs. Staffing''...............     9
        ``Scourged Back'' photograph.................................    11
    Kivimaki, Jussi:
        Letter for the Record........................................    97
    Kman, Christine:
        Letter for the Record........................................    98
    Lawrence, John A.:
        Letter for the Record........................................   101
    Macaruso Lineberger, Gina Lynn:
        Letter for the Record........................................   103
    Macon-Bibb County Industrial Authority:
        Letter for the Record........................................   145
    Marcil, Joe:
        Letter for the Record........................................    40
    Marinakis, Marie A.:
        Letter for the Record........................................   104
    Martin, Ted:
        Letter for the Record........................................   105
    Middle Georgia Regional Commission:
        Resolution on Ocmulgee Mounds National Park and Preserve,
          dated May 9, 2024..........................................   148
    Miner, Barry D.:
        Letter for the Record........................................   106
    Muscogee (Creek) Nation:
        Letter for the Record........................................   151
    National EMS Memorial Foundation:
        Letter for the Record........................................   185
    National Parks Conservation Association:
        Statement for the Record.....................................   110
    (The) Nature Conservancy:
        Letter for the Record........................................   152
    Newtown Macon:
        Letter for the Record........................................   154
    North Country Trail Association:
        Statement for the Record.....................................   113
    Ogeechee Riverkeeper:
        Letter for the Record........................................   170
    Olesen, Antoinette:
        Letter for the Record........................................   173
    Outdoor Alliance:
        Statement for the Record.....................................   174
    Padilla, Hon. Alex:
        Opening Statement............................................    14
    Pallone, Jr., Hon. Frank:
        Letter for the Record........................................   180
    (The) Pascrell Family:
        Letter for the Record........................................   181
    Perino, Nina:
        Letter for the Record........................................   182
    Richardson, Gail C.:
        Letter for the Record........................................   184
    Robins Air Force Base 21st Century Partnership:
        Letter for the Record........................................   115
    Rosen, Hon. Jacky:
        Letter for the Record........................................    48
    Saladino, Susan:
        Letter for the Record........................................   188
    Schmitt, Hon. Eric:
        Statement for the Record.....................................   189
    Southeast Tourism Society:
        Letter for the Record........................................   157
    Thompson, Aves D.:
        Letter for the Record........................................    42
    Tiseo, Benedetto:
        Letter for the Record........................................    41
    Trust for Public Land:
        Letter for the Record dated February 14, 2024................   163
        Letter for the Record dated December 9, 2025.................   192
    United States Department of Agriculture:
        Statement for the Record.....................................   194
    Van Hollen, Hon. Chris:
        Opening Statement............................................    16
    Visit Macon, Inc.:
        Letter for the Record........................................   167
    Wakefield, Marie:
        Letter for the Record........................................   195
    Wampfler, Gabriele:
        Letter for the Record........................................   196
    Ward, Chip et al.:
        Letter for the Record........................................   197
    Werner, Gary:
        Statement for the Record.....................................   206
    Wild in North Dakota:
        Letter for the Record........................................   208

    ----------
    The text for each of the bills addressed in this hearing can be found
    on the Committee's website at: https://www.energy.senate.gov/hearings/
    2025/12/national-park-subcommittee-to-receive-testimony-on-pending-
    legislation

                              PENDING LEGISLATION

                                  ----------

                           TUESDAY, DECEMBER 9, 2025

                                   U.S. Senate,
                        Subcommittee on National Parks,
                     Committee on Energy and Natural Resources,
                                                        Washington, DC.
        The Subcommittee met, pursuant to notice, at 10:00 a.m. in
    Room SD-366, Dirksen Senate Office Building, Hon. Steve Daines,
    Chairman of the Subcommittee, presiding.

                OPENING STATEMENT OF HON. STEVE DAINES,
                       U.S. SENATOR FROM MONTANA

        Senator Daines. The Subcommittee will come to order.
        Today's Subcommittee hearing is the first in the 119th
    Congress. I want to thank my co-chair, Senator King, as I want
    to remind everybody here, we refer to each other as co-chairs
    because we want to view this as perhaps the most bipartisan
    committee in the U.S. Senate. And so, we don't have a chairman
    and ranking member, we have co-chairs, and the gavel has gone
    back and forth during our tenure here. And Angus, it's always
    great to partner with you.
        I look forward to continuing our long streak of our
    bipartisan work. Specifically, I am excited to continue our
    work on reauthorizing the Legacy Restoration Fund to address
    Park Service deferred maintenance in our very strong,
    bipartisan America the Beautiful Act. The Legacy Restoration
    Fund has been a historic investment in our parks and our public
    lands. I look forward to working with Chairman Lee and Ranking
    Member Heinrich, as well as all of my colleagues, to get our
    America the Beautiful Act to President Trump's desk before the
    country's 250th birthday on July 4th.
        On today's agenda, we have 26 bills, many of which are
    bipartisan or have the support from the state delegation. I am
    excited to hear more about Senate bill 290, the Making National
    Parks Safer Act, led by Senators Barrasso and King. One of the
    first hearings I led as Chairman of the Parks Subcommittee was
    on encouraging the next generation to visit the parks, where we
    talked about technology in the parks, including emergency
    communications and digital park passes. We have made progress
    since that hearing back in 2015. Senator King and I were
    successful in getting our bill signed into law last year to
    allow a digital America the Beautiful pass but we still have
    significant issues with the emergency communications. I look
    forward to hearing how this bill will help expand next-
    generation 9-1-1 and other emergency communication systems.
        We will also hear from the Park Service on a number of
    bills led by my colleagues, including Senate bill 446, related
    to the Big Cypress National Preserve; Senate bill 573,
    designating a mountain in Alaska; Senate bill 601, related to a
    memorial in Kentucky; Senate bill 858, the National Medal of
    Honor Monument Location Act; Senate bill 1135, related to the
    Bonneville Shoreline Trail; Senate bill 1280, the Down East
    Remembrance Act; Senate bill 1353, to modify the Second
    Division Memorial in DC; Senate bill 1377, the Theodore
    Roosevelt National Park Wild Horses Protection Act; Senate bill
    2270, the Myakka Wild and Scenic River Act; Senate bill 2308,
    the PATRIOT Parks Act; Senate bill 2385, the Restoring Truth
    and Sanity--it sounds like something we need there, Mr. Co-
    Chairman--Restoring Truth and Sanity to American History Act;
    and Senate bill 2970, related to Capitol Reef National Park.
        Finally, I want to mention one bill that's not on today's
    agenda, but has important Park Service equities. Senate bill
    1858 requires national cemeteries, including those administered
    by the National Park Service, to be open to visitors during
    federal holidays--what a novel concept--so family and friends
    can visit their loved ones during special remembrance days.
    Senate bill 1858 was referred to the Committee on Veterans'
    Affairs, but as it mandates cemeteries administered by the Park
    Service to remain open, and specifically, the Custer National
    Cemetery in Montana, I wanted to flag this important bill for
    the Park Service's review and their support.
        A quick housekeeping item, without objection, today's
    complete agenda, as well as all written statements and letters
    that have been sent to the Subcommittee, will be included in
    the official record, without objection.
        [The agenda for today's hearing follows. Letters and
    written statements appear where introduced by a committee
    member, or otherwise in the appendix of this hearing document:]

                           SENATE COMMITTEE ON ENERGY

                             AND NATURAL RESOURCES

                         Subcommittee on National Parks

              HEARING AGENDA FOR TUESDAY, DECEMBER 9, 2025

        The purpose of this hearing is to receive testimony on the
    following bills:
       S. 290, to direct the Secretary of the Interior to
            upgrade existing emergency communications centers in
            units of the National Park System to Next Generation 9-
            1-1 systems, and for other purposes (Barrasso);
       S. 332, to require a study on Holocaust education
            efforts of states, local educational agencies, and
            public elementary and secondary schools, and for other
            purposes (Rosen);
       S. 446, to prohibit Big Cypress National Preserve
            from being designated as wilderness or as a component
            of the National Wilderness Preservation System, and for
            other purposes (Scott);
       S. 573, to designate a mountain in the State of
            Alaska as Denali (Murkowski);
       S. 601, to remove restrictions from a parcel of land
            in Paducah, Kentucky (Paul);
       S. 730, to direct the Secretary of the Interior to
            conduct a study to assess the suitability and
            feasibility of establishing the African Burial Ground
            International Memorial Museum and Educational Center at
            the African Burial Ground National Monument, and for
            other purposes (Gillibrand);
       S. 791, to establish the Justice Thurgood Marshall
            National Historic Site in the State of Maryland as an
            affiliated area of the National Park System, and for
            other purposes (Van Hollen);
       S. 858/H.R. 186, to authorize the National Medal of
            Honor Museum Foundation to establish a commemorative
            work on the National Mall to honor the extraordinary
            acts of valor, selfless service, and sacrifice
            displayed by Medal of Honor recipients (Justice)/(Rep.
            Moore);
       S. 1088, to provide that the memorial to commemorate
            the sacrifice and service of the women who worked on
            the home front to support the efforts of the United
            States military during World War II may be located on
            the National Mall, and for other purposes (Shaheen);
       S. 1131, to establish the Ocmulgee Mounds National
            Park and Preserve in the State of Georgia, and for
            other purposes (Ossoff);
       S. 1135, to amend the National Trails System Act to
            direct the Secretary of the Interior to conduct a study
            on the feasibility of designating the Bonneville
            Shoreline Trail (Curtis);
       S. 1280, to designate six creeks in North Carolina
            in honor of the lives lost in a plane crash in Carteret
            County, North Carolina, on February 13, 2022, and for
            other purposes (Tillis);
       S. 1353, to extend the authority for modifications
            to the Second Division Memorial in the District of
            Columbia (Murkowski);
       S. 1377, to ensure the maintenance of a herd of
            horses in Theodore Roosevelt National Park, and for
            other purposes (Hoeven);
       S. 1518, to redesignate the Saratoga National
            Historical Park as the ``Saratoga National Battlefield
            Park'' (Gillibrand);
       S. 1777, to amend the California Desert Protection
            Act of 1994 to expand the boundary of Joshua Tree
            National Park, to redesignate the Cottonwood Visitor
            Center at Joshua Tree National Park as the ``Dianne
            Feinstein Visitor Center,'' and for other purposes
            (Padilla);
       S. 1870, to adjust the boundary of the Santa Monica
            National Recreation Area to include the Rim of the
            Valley Corridor, and for other purposes (Schiff);
       S. 1926, to encourage reduction of disposable
            plastic products in units of the National Park System,
            and for other purposes (Merkley);
       S. 2270, to amend the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act to
            designate the portion of the Myakka River in Sarasota
            County, Florida, as a component of the National Wild
            and Scenic Rivers System, and for other purposes
            (Scott);
       S. 2308, to amend the Federal Lands Recreation
            Enhancement Act to authorize the Secretary of the
            Interior to collect a surcharge from international
            visitors to units of the National Park System, and for
            other purposes (Banks);
       S. 2369, to direct the Secretary of the Interior to
            remove or permanently conceal the name of Francis
            Newlands on the grounds of the memorial fountain
            located at Chevy Chase Circle in the District of
            Columbia, and for other purposes (Van Hollen);
       S. 2385, to codify Executive Order 14253 relating to
            restoring truth and sanity to American history, and for
            other purposes (Banks);
       S. 2546, to provide for an extension of the
            legislative authority of the National Emergency Medical
            Services Memorial Foundation to establish a
            commemorative work in the District of Columbia and its
            environs (Coons);
       S. 2708, to enhance the preservation, maintenance,
            and management of national historic trails and national
            scenic trails, and for other purposes (Kaine);
       S. 2970, to authorize the use of off-highway
            vehicles in certain areas of the Capitol Reef National
            Park, Utah (Lee); and
       H.R. 249, to redesignate certain facilities at
            Paterson Great Falls National Historical Park in honor
            of Congressman Bill Pascrell, Jr. (Rep. Pallone).
        Senator Daines. We have one witness today, Mr. Caldwell,
    the Associate Director of Park Planning, Facilities, and Lands
    at the National Park Service. Before hearing your testimony, I
    will now turn to Co-Chair King for his opening remarks.

             OPENING STATEMENT OF HON. ANGUS S. KING, JR.,
                        U.S. SENATOR FROM MAINE

        Senator King. Thank you, Senator Daines, for your remarks,
    and the bipartisan partnership that we have developed over the
    years as we trade the gavel back and forth. I want to thank
    Mike Caldwell for coming to testify on behalf of the Park
    Service. Mike, you are a familiar face in front of this
    Committee, and we welcome you back.
        I cannot come to this meeting quietly, however, while I
    believe our parks are under what can only be described as an
    attack. I want to first talk about staffing and funding levels
    for the parks. I have long criticized both Democratic and
    Republican administrations over the current underfunding and
    understaffing of our national parks. When our full Committee
    held a hearing to examine the Department of the Interior's
    budget request for FY25, in May of `24, the Department provided
    us with a budget justification. Here it is. This is the budget
    justification for FY25. And it laid out policy priorities,
    funding levels, the requests down to individual program units
    of the National Park Service, with detailed information on
    staffing. For the Park Service alone, this document, as you can
    see, is about 600 pages. And for Fiscal Year 2026, when we had
    a hearing on the budget of the Park Service, here is what we
    were presented, a pitiful six pages, one of which is blank.
    It's a five-page budget justification for the National Park
    Service compared to this. Nowhere in this document is there any
    reference to staffing levels, whether National Park Service
    wide or individual park units.
        [Side-by-side comparison of the FY25 and FY26 National Park
    Service Budget Justifications follows:]
    [GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] T2251.001

        Senator King. Now, I understand that Secretary Burgum and I
    may have differences on some of these policies and staffing
    levels, but we can't have a serious conversation about this
    issue if we don't have the data. If we don't have the data
    presented by the Department about where the staffing cuts are,
    where the--are there increases? But we don't have any of that
    data. What we have is a series of unserious funding requests
    for the Park Service, including massive cuts to operations,
    staffing, and maintenance. Here is this--a decrease of 31
    percent for operations--almost a third--cutting the Park
    Service operations budget by a third. Forty-two percent for
    construction and major maintenance--cut by 42 percent. A
    decrease of 35 percent for construction planning.
        Now, let me just give this graphically about where we are
    on staffing in the national parks. Here is where we are about
    the year 2000. And you can see the red line is FTEs in the
    National Park Service. And you see it sort of goes along at a
    fairly consistent level, then it starts to decline. Remember, I
    said I criticized both Democratic and Republican
    administrations. But look where it is now, compared with back
    here, we have cut our staff by almost half. At the same time,
    the visitation to the national parks is maintaining. In fact,
    last year I think was a record.
        [Displayed chart follows:]
        [GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] T2251.002

        Senator King. So, we've got more people coming and less
    people to greet them, educate them, and present data about that
    National Park. That is a shameful legacy. And what really
    bothers me about this is, I can't figure out what the
    motivation is. The amount of money saved here is miniscule in
    relation to the national budget or to the deficit or to
    whatever you want to compare it to, and yet, the damage is
    serious to probably the most popular federal program of all.
    Why target the national parks? It doesn't make any sense.
        I am also worried and concerned about the effort to
    effectively whitewash our history, to rewrite history within
    the national park. Our history as a country of 250 years, we
    have triumphs, we have great prideful moments, we have
    accomplishments, heroism, a lot to be proud of and to relish
    and to learn about. But we also have some dark parts of our
    history. Like any history, we aren't really too excited about
    those, but they have to be addressed--slavery, the internment
    of Japanese Americans during World War II, segregation, the
    treatment of Native Americans in our history. Those are things
    that we can't avoid, we can't forget, and we don't want to
    forget them. I recently finished a biography of the Roman
    statesman Cicero, and he said something that really stuck with
    me. He said, to not know your history, to not know history, is
    to live your whole life as a child. In other words, you are
    giving away a lot of human knowledge if you don't understand
    history. And these chapters in our history, which we aren't
    proud of, we have to understand and to learn from them and
    never repeat them.
        A couple of years ago, I was in the airport in Frankfurt,
    Germany. I met a young man, and we were sort of chatting, and
    he shared something that was really amazing that touched
    exactly on what I am talking about here today. He said that
    when he was in high school in Germany, he was required to go to
    a concentration camp. He was required to study the Holocaust.
    Talk about a dark portion of a nation's history. We are doing
    just the opposite. We are telling people, and young people that
    go to our parks, we don't want to bother you about slavery. It
    was uncomfortable. It might make you feel uncomfortable. We
    need to learn from our history so that we learn from it and
    that we don't repeat it. The administration is trying to
    rewrite history, and I just, when you compare it to Germany
    where young people are required to learn about their dark
    history because they don't want to repeat it, because they want
    to learn something from it, and we should take a lesson from
    that.
        At Fort Pulaski National Monument in Georgia, the
    Department ordered the removal of the ``Scourged Back''
    photograph.
        [The photograph referred to follows:]
        [GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] T2251.187

        Senator King. You have probably all seen it, of the slave
    with the awful scars on his back where he had been whipped.
    That was removed. For what purpose? Are we trying to erase the
    awful legacy of slavery, that it occurred? At Harpers Ferry,
    the Department has targeted the removal of several displays on
    slavery and the abolitionist movement--Harpers Ferry. That's
    why it's a monument. It was all about John Brown and slavery
    and abolition. To remove a display about slavery at Harpers
    Ferry is like removing model rockets from Cape Kennedy. I mean,
    it is astonishing that they should do such a thing.
        The Jamaica Bay National Wildlife Refuge in New York, they
    removed signage which addressed Japanese internment and the
    forced dispossession of native people from their traditional
    homelands. This does not contribute to our citizens'
    understanding of their history and appreciation of their
    history. It doesn't change the history. It doesn't change what
    happened. It only changes our citizens' understanding of those
    things. This is what happens under authoritarian governments.
    If you go back in history, authoritarian governments, one of
    the things they try to do is change their history, to whitewash
    it, to change it, to change the story. So, after all that, I
    want to appreciate the way Steve Daines--Senator Daines and I
    have worked together, and we are going to continue to work
    together, but I cannot sit quietly and see America's best idea
    gutted for reasons that, to me, make absolutely no sense.
        Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
        Senator Daines. Senator King, thank you for your remarks.
        There are senators, I believe, who want to make opening
    statements today. We will start with Senator Barrasso.

               OPENING STATEMENT OF HON. JOHN BARRASSO,
                       U.S. SENATOR FROM WYOMING

        Senator Barrasso. Well, thanks, Mr. Chairman, thank you
    also, Ranking Member King, for holding this important hearing,
    and I am grateful for the comments that you just made, both of
    the leaders here on the Committee. And I would like to briefly
    highlight one of my bills on today's agenda. It is S. 290, the
    Making National Parks Safer Act. It is bipartisan. It directs
    the Department of the Interior to develop a plan to upgrade
    National Park Service 9-1-1 call centers with next-generation
    9-1-1 technology. The technology enables call centers to
    receive text messages, images, and videos, in addition to phone
    calls.
        Our country's national parks receive hundreds of millions
    of visitors each year. In 2024, over eight million visitors
    came to our national parks in Wyoming. Folks travel from across
    the world to enjoy the great American outdoors, and for many
    families, these memories last a lifetime. That's why I think it
    is so vital that visitors to these great national parks have
    access to up-to-date safety and operational technology.
    Dispatch centers track bear biologists where they are working
    in the field. They support fire response strategies to mitigate
    damage to the land. And they ensure operational efficiency so
    park rangers can do their jobs. This bill improves the speed
    and accuracy of emergency responders in locating and assisting
    callers in need of emergency assistance. These moments make a
    difference between visitors being able to receive quick care
    and continue their trip or facing more serious medical
    complications. In the event of a national disaster or technical
    issue, the call centers would be equipped to forward 9-1-1
    calls to a center that is able to address immediate visitor
    needs. Our public safety technology needs improvements and
    resources to ensure that visitors can continue to enjoy our
    national parks without worry.
        This is a bipartisan bill that ensures visitors who may
    need assistance can be reached in an accurate and timely
    manner. These much-needed updates will improve the operations
    of our national parks and protect the safety of visitors.
    Thanks to Senators Hickenlooper and Hyde-Smith for your support
    of the bill.
        Thank you.
        Senator Daines. Thanks, Senator Barrasso.
        Senator Heinrich.

              OPENING STATEMENT OF HON. MARTIN HEINRICH,
                      U.S. SENATOR FROM NEW MEXICO

        Senator Heinrich. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I want to thank
    you and Co-Chair Angus King for convening today's hearing.
    Though I may not agree with every bill on the agenda, I am so
    grateful that we have the chance to spend some time talking
    about an issue that literally touches every corner of this
    country: our national parks and the role they play in America's
    incredible outdoor recreation economy. And I particularly look
    forward to working with you and the Co-Chair on the America the
    Beautiful Act.
        Every single day, the public lands recreation economy
    contributes over $350 million--a day--to our nation's economic
    health. And that's not a typo, it's a testament to just how
    deeply Americans value time outdoors and their nation's
    history, and how crucial our public lands are to supporting job
    growth, supporting small businesses, and rural communities. Our
    national parks and park system units are major contributors to
    the economic success that our public lands bring. Parks like
    Glacier, White Sands, and Acadia are iconic for a reason. They
    are world-class destinations that draw millions of visitors
    from around the world. And today's hearing also highlights
    something equally important: the hundreds of smaller national
    parks, historic sites, seashores, and monuments that really are
    the woven fabric of our nation's history and communities across
    the United States--places like Petroglyph National Monument or
    Pecos National Historical Park in New Mexico. These are places
    that make a real difference in people's lives. They preserve
    and celebrate our history--the good and the bad. They honor our
    heroes, they protect our wildlife and our watersheds, and they
    offer outdoor classrooms for students and provide spaces for
    families to connect with the outdoors. They offer us
    opportunities to escape the pressures of everyday life and
    enjoy the outdoors. And unfortunately, recent National Park
    Service management directives from this administration,
    including the dramatic budget cuts that the Co-Chair
    referenced, major staffing reductions, and proposals to divest
    of hundreds of National Park Service sites are a significant
    threat to the parks that Americans know and love.
        What's more, the administration recently announced that
    Martin Luther King Day and Juneteenth would no longer be fee-
    free days on our public lands, despite being federal holidays.
    Instead, Flag Day will be fee-free. It's a coincidence, I am
    sure, that while Flag Day isn't a federal holiday, it is the
    President's birthday. Rest assured folks, when this President
    is in the past, Martin Luther King Day and Juneteenth will not
    only have fee-free national park admission, but they will
    occupy, again, incredible places of pride in our nation's
    history.
        Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
        Senator Daines. Senator Heinrich, thank you.
        Co-Chair King, I want to recognize the political astuteness
    of Senator Heinrich. He recognized Glacier Park and Acadia
    Park.
        Senator King. I noticed that.
        Senator Daines. Which, you know----
        Senator Heinrich. That was not by accident.
        Senator Daines. So, if the Senator would like more time, we
    certainly will yield to you.
        Senator King. He's a student of geography.
        Senator Daines. All right, that's very good. Thank you. You
    have warmed our hearts here.
        Senator Padilla.

                OPENING STATEMENT OF HON. ALEX PADILLA,
                      U.S. SENATOR FROM CALIFORNIA

        Senator Padilla. Thank you, Mr. Co-Chair.
        I want to associate, first of all, myself with the comments
    from my colleagues, Senator King and Senator Heinrich, but want
    to also thank you for including in this hearing my Joshua Tree
    National Park Expansion Act, which builds on the late Senator
    Feinstein's efforts to protect our cherished California
    desert--Southern California, more specifically.
        The bill on today's agenda actually combines two bills that
    previously passed this Committee by voice vote, one to expand
    the boundary of the Joshua Tree National Park, and one to
    rename the current Cottonwood Visitor Center at Joshua Tree
    National Park as the Senator Dianne Feinstein Visitor Center.
    As many of you know, Senator Feinstein was known as a great
    protector of the California desert. It is truly a part of her
    legacy. Among her many accomplishments, she expanded
    protections for nearly ten million acres and transformed the
    Joshua Tree National Monument into a national park. So, I can
    think of no better way to honor her legacy than by forever
    ensuring that visitors to Joshua Tree are reminded and taught
    about Senator Feinstein's enduring public lands legacy.
        This bill would also expand the boundary of the national
    park to include land that was once part of Joshua Tree National
    Monument. In 2016, the National Park Service completed a
    comprehensive study that determined the land would indeed be
    feasible to be included in the park. The Park Service found
    that a boundary adjustment would allow for greater protection
    of existing habitat, restoration opportunities, and landscape
    connectivity for wildlife, including bighorn sheep. It would
    also expand visitor opportunities and access to the park. And
    knowing the concerns and priorities for some members of the
    Committee and other colleagues in the Senate, let me say the
    following: it's important to note that the National Park
    Service, through their study, which included a robust public
    process, the Park Service found that any pockets of critical
    minerals are likely only present in negligible amounts and
    would not be economically viable for extraction. I am not
    trying to prohibit any development here, just trying to be
    realistic and balance our co-equal concerns.
        Finally, I want to highlight another bill on the agenda of
    which I am a co-sponsor. Senator Schiff has the Rim of the
    Valley Corridor Preservation Act. This is an effort that
    started at the local level in the city of Los Angeles back in
    the late 1990s that I was a part of in a prior capacity. This
    bill would add the Rim of the Valley Corridor to the existing
    Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area and help
    protect some of the last wild and open spaces in the Los
    Angeles region. Having grown up in the San Fernando Valley, I
    can tell you firsthand how too many communities are denied true
    access to the outdoors and the benefit of being in natural
    environments. For communities who can look at the mountains,
    but feel like it's a world away to have access or try to get
    there, this bill would go a long way in improving upon those
    conditions. It has strong support from local communities. It
    has passed the House with bipartisan support in the previous
    two Congresses, and I hope that we can lend our support here in
    this Committee and as the Senate this session.
        So, thank you again for including these important measures.
    I appreciate your time.
        Senator Daines. Senator Padilla, thank you.
        Back in the old days, when we joined the Senate, we used to
    have a mentor assigned to us, a Republican and a Democrat.
    Dianne Feinstein was my Democrat mentor. So, thank you for the
    kind words about Dianne, and we are grateful for her service,
    and I like what you are doing there in naming that center for
    her.
        All right, all member statements that were made will be
    added to the hearing record.
        We will now proceed to the testimony from Senators not on
    this Committee. We will start by recognizing Senator Kaine.
    Welcome to the Committee.

                 OPENING STATEMENT OF HON. TIM KAINE,
                       U.S. SENATOR FROM VIRGINIA

        Senator Kaine. Thank you so much to our Co-Chairs Daines
    and King and to Committee members. It's a joy to join you and
    to be here together with my friend, Senator Van Hollen. And I
    want to thank you for considering S. 2708, the Appalachian
    Trail Centennial Act. I am very grateful for the bicameral,
    bipartisan collaboration with Senator Tillis on the Senate side
    and with Representatives Lawler and Beyer on the House side,
    working together on this bill.
        As many of you know, I hiked the entire Appalachian Trail
    in Virginia in 2019, 560 miles from Harpers Ferry to the
    Tennessee-Virginia border, a few miles south of Damascus,
    Virginia. Now, some of you may not know that when you hike the
    trail, you don't use your own name, you use a trail name, and
    my trail name is Dog Bowl. So, if you hear anyone refer to me
    that way, you will know how they met me. The journey that I
    undertook in Virginia on the trail in 2019 gave me a deep, deep
    appreciation for the partnerships necessary to first initiate,
    dream, and then construct and now maintain into the future this
    wonderful asset.
        One day, a friend who joined me on the hike who had been
    with me for a couple of days, together with his son, said, you
    know, this really isn't a trail, it's a community. And I said,
    what do you mean by that? And he goes, well, who built that
    shelter? Who carried in the picnic table? Who maintains the
    trail? Who drives the shuttle? Who runs the trail side hostel?
    Who takes the photographs, not only for National Geographic,
    but the selfies and Instagram photos that get posted that give
    people a sense of this asset even if they have never had a
    chance to visit it? It is a community.
        So the bill that we have introduced is an effort to
    highlight and deepen the partnerships that have been necessary
    to have this trail be such a wonderful thing over its first 100
    years. The Act highlights the essential work of the National
    Park Service, the Forest Service, state and local partners, the
    Appalachian Trail Conservancy, and volunteers and trail clubs
    over the 2,200-mile length of the trail. The bill marks the
    ATC's 100th anniversary, strengthens their stewardship model,
    and supports volunteers and volunteer organizations while
    preserving federal oversight. The bill would establish,
    ``designated operational partners to enhance collaboration on
    all the national trails in the United States.'' And
    additionally, the legislation would direct agencies to work
    with states and communities on land use, recreation, and
    donating surplus tools and equipment to volunteer groups to
    maintain the trail.
        Senator Tillis, who got his start into public service in a
    local battle about a cycling trail in the suburbs of Charlotte,
    North Carolina--we introduced this bill because we have seen
    firsthand what happens when public and private partners are
    aligned. When they do align, our trails thrive. So, I look
    forward to working with the Committee, with local communities,
    with the National Park Service, and other key federal agencies
    and all partners. We have worked together to get the bill to
    the place where it is now and we absolutely commit to work
    together on any necessary additional improvements that will
    enable this bill to successfully reach the President's desk. I
    am really happy to be with you today.
        Thank you.
        Senator Daines. Senator Kaine, thank you.
        Senator Van Hollen.

              OPENING STATEMENT OF HON. CHRIS VAN HOLLEN,
                       U.S. SENATOR FROM MARYLAND

        Senator Van Hollen. Well, thank you. Thank you to Co-Chairs
    Daines and King, and Senator Heinrich, good to be with you and
    thank you for considering these bills.
        I am going to start with a bill that's not on the agenda,
    very briefly, and the reason it's not on the agenda is because
    this Committee has previously heard the bill. And at about this
    time last year, it passed out of the Committee and the Senate
    unanimously. And my friend, Senator Kaine, and the Virginia
    delegation are on this bill. It's the Chesapeake National
    Recreation Area bill. I just urge my colleagues to work with us
    to pass that bill again. It was paired last year with Senator
    Wicker's bill on Vicksburg, and it really is an effort that has
    been years in the making, and we just urge you to move forward
    this year, as we did last year, unanimously.
        The two bills that are before you now have also been driven
    by community efforts, but also rise to the level, we believe,
    to have this kind of a National Park Service participation. The
    first is the Justice Thurgood Marshall National Historic Site
    Establishment Act, which is co-sponsored by my colleague here
    in the Senate, Senator Alsobrooks, and has been introduced in
    the House on a bipartisan basis. Congressman Mfume is the lead
    sponsor, but Congressman Andy Harris, part of our delegation,
    is also on that bill. So, it is bipartisan in the House. The
    bill would designate Baltimore's historic Public School 103,
    where Supreme Court Justice Thurgood Marshall went to school,
    as an NPS affiliated area. Justice Marshall is best known as
    the first African American Supreme Court Justice and as the
    lead counsel in the landmark Brown v. Board of Education case
    that ended racial segregation in public schools. And his story,
    as we know, is one of perseverance, leadership, and a
    commitment to protecting the rights of all Americans. That
    story inspired some of the local church groups in Baltimore and
    others to come together to put together $50 million of non-
    federal funding to help transform what had been P.S. 103 into a
    community center dedicated to Thurgood Marshall.
        In 2019, Senator Cardin and I put forward a proposal to ask
    for a review of this project to see if National Park Service
    participation could help elevate this important story, and the
    study indicated that it would be a helpful and useful effort.
    And that is why we have the bill that is before you. It's
    important, you have to understand, that the affiliated area
    designation means that, unlike when a new unit is established,
    the site will not transfer to the Park Service, the current
    owners will maintain responsibility for the property in line
    with federal standards, maximizing access while--and I want to
    stress this--minimizing the need for financial support from the
    Federal Government.
        The other piece of legislation before you is the Francis G.
    Newlands Memorial Removal Act of 2025, which would seek to
    remove a memorial to Francis Newlands at Chevy Chase Circle.
    For those of you here, if you drive out Connecticut Avenue when
    you are crossing from DC into Maryland, you go past Chevy Chase
    Circle. The area around Chevy Chase Circle was developed by
    Francis Newlands, and that is why this plaque was put in the
    circle in his honor at the time. The community on both sides of
    the circle wants to remove this plaque. Why? Because he was a
    former Senator from Nevada--that's not why--but just so you
    know, he is not a Marylander, does not have Maryland roots. He
    was a white supremacist and he worked to actively ensure that
    the development he built was inaccessible to blacks, jews, and
    working-class families. So, this is a memorial plaque that was
    put there because he was the developer of this area, but the
    development that he put together denied those groups access.
        Just to give you a little flavor of his position, at the
    1912 Democratic National Convention, he proposed a ``white
    plank'' to the party's platform that, among other things,
    called for repealing the 15th amendment, which, of course, is
    the amendment which gave African American men the right to
    vote. Despite that, the inscription says, and I quote, ``His
    statesmanship held true regard for the interests of all men.''
    Clearly, that inscription does not fit the individual that it's
    there to memorialize. And as I said, the community
    organizations, the Montgomery County Council, the DC-Chevy
    Chase Association, the Maryland Chevy Chase Village and Town,
    they have all voted unanimously to act to have this removed. I
    looked at the administration's position here and they are
    apparently opposing it for reasons rooted in partisan ideology
    or efforts to minimize the significance of historical figures.
    I would just say that his name is on there because he was the
    developer for this community, a development that, as I said,
    excluded individuals that we would all agree should never have
    been excluded.
        So I hope the Committee will see to it that the community's
    views are represented. The community should not have to forever
    see this memorial at Chevy Chase Circle that is in memory of a
    person with this kind of record. I thank you all.
        Senator Daines. Senator Van Hollen, thank you, and thanks
    to both Senators for testifying today.
        Mr. Caldwell, if you could please join us at the witness
    table.
        Mr. Caldwell, your full written testimony will be made part
    of the official hearing record.
        Mr. Caldwell, you may proceed.

     OPENING STATEMENT OF MIKE CALDWELL, ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR, PARK
     PLANNING, FACILITIES, AND LANDS, NATIONAL PARK SERVICE, U.S.
                       DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

        Mr. Caldwell. Chairman Daines, Co-Chair King, and members
    of the Subcommittee, thank you for the opportunity to present
    the Department of the Interior's views on 25 bills. I
    respectfully submit our full statements for the record and will
    summarize the Department's views.
        Many of the bills under consideration have the Department's
    support. Consistent with Executive Order 14314, ``Making
    America Beautiful Again by Improving our National Parks,''
    these proposals would enhance National Park Service operations,
    improve park safety and accessibility, and strengthen
    management of resources.
        S. 290, the Making National Parks Safer Act, would direct
    the NPS to equip its emergency communication centers with next-
    generation 9-1-1 technology. We welcome the opportunity to work
    with the Subcommittee to create a path to help the NPS meet the
    goals of this initiative.
        S. 601 would remove deed restrictions from an NPS parcel
    transferred to the city of Paducah, Kentucky, allowing the city
    to sell or repurpose the property to meet community needs. The
    Department supports this bill.
        S. 1088 would authorize a memorial on the National Mall in
    either Area I or the Reserve to honor the women who worked on
    the home front during World War II. The Department supports
    establishing this commemorative work. The National Capital
    Memorial Advisory Commission reviewed S. 1088 and advised the
    memorial sponsor to work with the NPS on a site selection
    study. The Department concurs, and is committed to supporting
    that process.
        S. 1353 and S. 2546 would extend authorities to modify or
    establish memorials in the District of Columbia to the U.S.
    Army Second Infantry Division and to EMS professionals. We
    support these extensions.
        S. 1377 directs the Department to maintain a genetically
    diverse horse herd in Theodore Roosevelt National Park and
    develop a cost-effective management plan that protects both the
    herd and park resources.
        S. 2308, the PATRIOT Parks Act, reflects the President's
    initiative to enact America-first entry fee policies across the
    National Park System.
        S. 2385, the Restoring Truth and Sanity to American History
    Act, aligns with the Secretary's Order 3431, to ensure NPS
    sites reflect our nation's extraordinary heritage and record of
    advancing liberty and prosperity.
        S. 2970 would authorize the use of off-highway vehicles in
    designated areas of Capitol Reef National Park, and require the
    NPS to adopt the State of Utah's OHV definition. The Department
    supports the goal of expanding recreational opportunities at
    the park, and would welcome the opportunity to work with the
    Subcommittee on technical amendments.
        Regarding S. 858, the Hershel ``Woody'' Williams National
    Medal of Honor Monument Location Act, the Department looks
    forward to supporting the building of the proposed monument in
    a place of national honor.
        Regarding S. 1135, the Bonneville Shoreline Trail
    Feasibility Study, the Department recommends the bill be
    amended to remove NPS as the agency responsible for conducting
    the study, as USDA is better suited to lead it.
        There are also several bills under consideration that the
    Department opposes.
        S. 573 conflicts with Secretary's Order 3424, which
    designated the name of Mount McKinley in Alaska.
        S. 1926 conflicts with Executive order 14208, which directs
    agencies to repeal or revise policies limiting plastic product
    availability without strong scientific or statutory
    justification.
        S. 2369 conflicts with Executive order 14253, which directs
    the Department to preserve and restore memorials removed or
    altered in recent years due to partisan ideology and efforts to
    minimize the significance of historical figures.
        S. 2708, the Appalachian Trail Centennial Act, raises
    concern by potentially altering the intent and implementation
    of the National Trails System Map.
        Other bills on the Subcommittee's agenda would establish or
    expand NPS units or direct new studies, all of which would
    require additional resources. The NPS remains focused on
    addressing critical needs within its existing portfolio. For
    this reason, the Department opposes H.R. 249, S. 730, S. 791,
    S. 1131, S. 1777, S. 1870, and S. 2270. The Department takes
    the position of ``do not oppose'' on S. 446, S. 1280, and S.
    1518.
        Mr. Chairman, this concludes my testimony. I am happy to
    answer any questions you or the Committee have.
        [The prepared statement of Mr. Caldwell follows:]
        [GRAPHICS NOT AVAILABLE IN TIFF FORMAT]

        Senator Daines. Mr. Caldwell, thank you.
        My first question is regarding Senate bill 290, the Making
    National Parks Safer Act. The beauty and the attraction of many
    of our national parks is the ability to get away from the
    world, hiking beautiful trails, which both the Co-Chair and
    myself have done in our national parks, fishing in streams, far
    removed from highways and city lights. However, that also means
    that when an emergency happens, it is difficult, if not
    impossible to contact emergency services. Senate bill 290
    requires the Park Service to develop a plan to install next-
    generation 9-1-1 systems in consultation with state and local
    officials.
        My question is, how can this bill and next-generation
    technology, like the cell and satellite service that T-Mobile
    recently deployed in Montana, how can that be used to increase
    emergency services while also protecting the natural beauty and
    the ``getting away from it all'' experience we seek when going
    to our parks?
        Mr. Caldwell. Sure, thank you, Senator.
        The bill would improve safety by upgrading our
    communications technology, as you have identified, that we rely
    on during emergencies with better location data and better
    situational awareness as to where folks are enjoying their
    parks. These improvements are largely invisible to visitors, so
    they strengthen the emergency response without deterring the
    park's natural beauty or history. Additionally, it may lead to
    improved responsiveness and reports of potential resource
    damage.
        Senator Daines. Thanks, Mr. Caldwell.
        As I discussed in my opening statement, Senate bill 1858
    requires the Park Service to keep the 14 national cemeteries
    you administer open during federal holidays. This has been a
    persistent issue in Montana, where the Custer National Cemetery
    has been closed on important remembrance days like Christmas
    and Memorial Day itself. My question is, do you agree that
    national cemeteries should remain open so family and friends of
    service members can visit their loved ones, and allow for
    patriotic activities, such as Wreaths Across America, to honor
    fallen service members and warriors on important holidays?
        Mr. Caldwell. Yes, Senator, thank you for the question. You
    know, we are proud stewards of 14 national cemeteries across
    the system, as you pointed out, and our National Park Service
    cemetery standards require that these sites be maintained in a
    solemn, tranquil, and dignified way as places of remembrance,
    with access and general maintenance practices designed to
    support visitation throughout the year, including holidays. And
    while staffing and site-specific operations may vary, our
    policy and practices are to keep these sacred places open so
    families can pay their respects whenever it is most convenient
    to them.
        Senator Daines. Thank you.
        Senate bill 416, this directs the Park Service to expand
    the Marsh-Billings-Rockefeller National Historic Park in
    Vermont to include the King Farm. Senator King, we aren't
    enacting your dream of living in a national park in this bill,
    are we?
        Senator King. Alas, no relation.
        Senator Daines. Okay, good. Let the record show there is no
    relationship between the Senator and the King in this bill.
        You may be wondering why a Senator from Montana is asking a
    question on a park in Vermont, however, Fredrick Billings, who
    this park honors, is actually the namesake of Billings,
    Montana, the largest city in Montana. While Mr. Billings never
    lived in Montana, his work on the Northern Pacific Railroad and
    his investments in Montana helped grow the town that would
    become the county seat--Billings, Montana--of Yellowstone
    County. Mr. Billings was also an avid conservationist and
    played a role in the conservation of Yellowstone National Park.
        My question is, how does the inclusion of King Farm affect
    the mission of this park and help tell the story of America's
    prominent businessman and conservationist?
        Mr. Caldwell. Thank you for the question, Senator.
        While I am certainly not prepared to answer specifics on
    the Marsh-Billings expansion bill, I do know that the
    Department's position is generally to take care of the existing
    portfolio in our National Park System with the existing
    resources that we have at hand. Having been to Marsh-Billings,
    having seen the King Farm, I can certainly see why you are
    proud of the story that's represented there. But at this point,
    I am happy to get back to you and the Committee when it comes
    to the specifics of that legislation.
        Senator Daines. Thank you. It's also a towering moment. My
    dad grew up and literally married the girl next door in
    Billings, Montana.
        Last question, Mr. Caldwell. It's my understanding that
    Senate bill 1377, the Theodore Roosevelt National Park Wild
    Horses Protection Act, requires the Park Service to maintain a
    genetically diverse herd of wild horses in the Theodore
    Roosevelt National Park. Under the bill, the population of the
    horses should be no fewer than 150. I know how hard species
    management can be. In Montana, we deal with it a lot, from the
    bison managed in our parks, to grizzlies and wolves outside our
    parks, that should be managed by our state. These issues can
    have strong opinions. It's important that you work with local
    stakeholders and our governors before making major decisions.
        My question: could you tell me how this bill helps give the
    Park Service tools to manage wild horses, and what you have
    already done to manage them in the park?
        Mr. Caldwell. Sure, thank you, Senator.
        S. 1377 helps us by providing explicit congressional
    guidance to maintain a healthy, genetically diverse population
    while ensuring that horse management remains fully consistent
    with protecting the park's natural resources. It requires us to
    develop a cost-effective management plan, establish objective
    population and genetic benchmarks, and formalize the monitoring
    and reporting that we have already conducted. It provides
    clearer congressional parameters and greater predictability for
    both the park and the public. Thank you.
        Senator Daines. Mr. Caldwell, thank you.
        I will turn now to Co-Chair King.
        Senator King. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
        Mr. Caldwell, you heard me describe my concern about the
    elimination of historical references throughout the park
    system, for example, the photograph at the Fort Pulaski
    National Monument and many other examples. Where are these
    decisions being made? Who is making the decisions? Are they
    being made at the park level? Are they being made here in
    Washington? Who, specifically, says get rid of that photograph
    in Florida or the slavery reference at Harpers Ferry? I would
    like to know where in the Department that decision is being
    made and by whom.
        Mr. Caldwell. Yes, I appreciate your question, Senator.
        I don't have that information, nor have I been part of that
    decision-making, but I am happy to follow-up with your office
    and the Committee.
        Senator King. I would appreciate it if you would take that
    question for the record and give us a written response from the
    Department.
        Mr. Caldwell. Yes, sir.
        Senator King. Because it just worries me that there is--
    these are significant decisions, and there should be some
    transparency in terms of how they are being made, who is making
    them, what the criteria is, whether it's being made at the
    local level, all of those kinds of things, so please supply
    that for the record.
        As you know, I also have concerns about staffing. How were
    the decisions made? We have a hiring freeze. We fired
    probationary employees. We had people take the early fork in
    the road. Has there been any analysis on a park-by-park basis
    or on the overall system of a staffing target? And I am looking
    for data. I am looking for support for a decision that,
    frankly, looks rather arbitrary.
        Mr. Caldwell. Sure. Senator, I appreciate that question.
        I don't have the details in terms of FTE number.
        Senator King. Well, my question is, are there details?
    That's what I am looking for.
        Mr. Caldwell. I will relay that question to the Department
    to provide you with those responses.
        I think, as across the National Park System, certainly,
    your interaction with superintendents across the country, we
    rely on their expertise to meet the challenges, and I think we
    are confident that the National Park Service will continue to
    deliver the mission it's responsible to deliver to the American
    people.
        Senator King. It's hard for me to believe that when you
    reduce the staff by a third from an already diminished level,
    that you are going to be able to deliver the same level of
    service. That's a nice idea, but this isn't--meeting with park
    visitors isn't something that you can just conjure out of thin
    air. So, what I am after is, was there any analysis done of a
    staffing target? If so, how was that target established? What
    is the data background? What kind of research was done? So,
    that's what I am looking for.
        Similarly, the same thing on the budget. Giving us a six-
    page budget, one of which is blank, as opposed to 600 pages,
    doesn't give us anything to work with. And I guess my question
    is, are we going to get a serious budget document before the
    appropriations process is complete for 2027?
        Mr. Caldwell. I am unaware of the schedule of the budget
    delivery, but I will certainly relay that question as well.
        Senator King. Well, again, it's--we want to be partners
    here. We are all on the same team. We are all trying to serve
    the public as effectively as we can. But we can't do our job
    unless you do your job. I don't mean you--but the Department,
    in terms of serious analysis, numbers, background, targets,
    effects, impacts--has any research been done about the impact
    will be of a certain reduction at a particular park? So, I am
    looking for a lot more data and support for these decisions.
    And in terms of these decisions about--I would only call it
    whitewashing our history--I would like to know who is making
    those decisions. So, I appreciate that.
        Thank you, Mr. Caldwell.
        Senator Daines. Co-Chair King, thank you.
        Senator Hoeven, my condolences. It was a tough day in Fargo
    on Saturday.
        Senator Hoeven. Yeah, understatement there. I was looking
    forward to a Bison-Bobcat rematch.
        Senator Daines. We were looking forward to it as well.
        Senator Hoeven. Thank you.
        Senator Daines. We could have a brief moment of silence, if
    you would like.
        Senator Hoeven. Yeah, I have had a few between then and
    now.
        Senator Daines. I'm sure you have.
        Senator Hoeven. At this point, I am just going to wish the
    Bobcats the very best.
        Senator Daines. Well, you are very gracious. For a team
    that never loses, it's tough. I know.
        Senator Hoeven. It's really tough, yes.
        Senator Daines. All right, Senator Hoeven.
        Senator Hoeven. All right, thanks to both of you, both to
    the Chairman and to the Ranking Member for holding this hearing
    today. I really appreciate it.
        And of course, Director Caldwell, thank you for being here,
    I appreciate that very much as well.
        I am pleased that the Subcommittee is considering a number
    of bills today, including S. 1377, the Theodore Roosevelt
    National Park Wild Horses Protection Act. Horses have long been
    a living, breathing part of the Theodore Roosevelt National
    Park in North Dakota, and they are key to the visitor
    experience. Their presence dates to the early ranching era of
    the Badlands, long before the park was formally established.
    Today, the horses maintain the historic scene that reflects
    what Theodore Roosevelt himself would have seen during his time
    in the Badlands and the Dakota Territory. And these were very
    formative years that shaped the character and conservation
    ethic of our nation's 26th President. Unfortunately, there have
    been multiple attempts over the years, including as recently as
    2022, to remove horses from the park. Each one has been met
    with overwhelming--and I mean overwhelming--opposition from the
    public. And that's why we worked to craft a balanced, durable
    solution that provides permanent protection for horses in the
    Park.
        Under our bill, the National Park Service is required to
    maintain a healthy herd of not fewer than 150 horses, as our
    Chairman referenced, which I appreciate very much, aligned with
    the population levels needed for long-term genetic viability.
    This approach reflects the broad support among those who value
    the heritage of the park and the herd's ties to the legacy of
    Theodore Roosevelt. My colleague from Virginia, Senator Kaine,
    joined me in introducing this legislation. It's bipartisan
    legislation. Senator Kaine knows the importance of wild ponies.
    For example, in--hopefully I will get these names close to
    right--Chincoteague and Assateague Islands, and you can correct
    me, you know, when you get a chance----
        Mr. Caldwell. I will not correct you, Senator. You did very
    well.
        Senator Hoeven [continuing]. On federal lands in his home
    state, and I appreciate his willingness to partner with us on
    this bipartisan effort.
        I appreciate Interior's support of the bill and look
    forward to working with my colleagues to advance it.
        So, while we appreciate the National Park Service's most
    recent commitment to maintain horses at Theodore Roosevelt
    National Park, my legislation aims to resolve any uncertainty
    by directing the Park Service to maintain a sustainable and
    genetically viable herd at the park on a permanent basis. So,
    my first question is, do you agree that this bill will help
    ensure the horses at Theodore Roosevelt National Park are
    protected going forward?
        Mr. Caldwell. Yes, the Department agrees with that, sir.
        Senator Hoeven. Okay, good.
        Secondly, does establishing, in statute, a requirement for
    a healthy, sustainable herd give the clear direction necessary
    to manage the horses for the long term?
        Mr. Caldwell. Yes, the Department's support of this--one of
    the primary reasons is that specific congressional direction.
    So, thank you.
        Senator Hoeven. Good. Thank you again for the support.
    Thank you for being here, and also thanks to Regional Director
    Bert Frost, who was recently out there with me. I worked with
    him on elk issues, and we got to a tremendous solution that has
    been--that was during my Governor days--but for more than a
    decade, it has served the park well, it has served our state
    well, served the country well. And so, I really appreciate his
    willingness to understand the importance of these issues and
    work with us on them.
        Thanks to you as well.
        Mr. Caldwell. I will pass your compliments on. Thank you.
        Senator Hoeven. Thanks to you as well, Director.
        Mr. Caldwell. Thank you.
        Senator Hoeven. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
        Senator Daines. Senator Hoeven, thank you.
        Senator Murkowski.
        Senator Murkowski. Thank you, and I want to thank the Co-
    Chairs this morning for the hearing and for including a couple
    of my bills on the calendar for today. One of them is S. 1353,
    to extend the authority for modifications to the Second
    Division Memorial here in Washington, DC, and the other one is
    S. 573, to designate Denali as Denali.
        First, on S. 1353, I am very pleased to see the Park
    Service offer supportive testimony for this. This is, really,
    an extremely simple bill. It relates to the Second Division
    Memorial. I thank you for working with us to help shape and
    refine the legislation. What we do here is extend the
    authorization to modify the Second Division Memorial included
    in the NDAA back in 2018. For a whole host of different
    reasons, things got delayed--COVID--but the seven-year initial
    period allowed by the Commemorative Works Act just wasn't
    enough time. So, we provided the standard extension for the
    bill. The modifications come at zero cost to the taxpayers, but
    it effectively honors those who have given their life in recent
    conflicts, such as Afghanistan and Iraq. I was in Anchorage
    just last week and I met with the Chair of the Second Division
    Memorial's Foundation, Aves Thompson. Aves has been working on
    this initiative for a decade-plus now that would install this
    very simple bench on this memorial. I have a couple letters of
    support to add to the record for the hearing, including Mr.
    Thompson's statement. I would ask unanimous consent that they
    be added at the appropriate place.
        Senator Daines. So approved.
        [Letters of support for S. 1353 follow:]
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        Senator Murkowski. On the second measure, this is something
    that Alaskans feel very, very strongly about, and that is the
    name of North America's tallest peak and a mountain that we
    look to, really, with almost reverence. When I fly into Ted
    Stevens International Airport in Anchorage there, before we
    even get close to looking to landing, people are looking out
    the window to see if they are going to catch a glimpse of
    Denali today. When the mountain is out, we talk about it. We
    talk about it in a way that, people say, ``have you have seen
    the mountain today? Have you seen the Great One today?'' Well,
    my friends, Denali translates as the ``Great One.'' What more
    fitting name for such an incredible peak.
        On the first day of his second term, President Trump issued
    an Executive Order titled ``Restoring Names that Honor American
    Greatness.'' And that order included the renaming of North
    America's tallest peak from its traditional Koyukon Athabascan
    name of Denali to Mount McKinley. And again, as I say, we have
    called this mountain ``Denali'' in Alaska for decades,
    generations. The Koyukon Athabascan have referred to it as
    Denali for millennia. We are trying to trace exactly how far
    back it goes. The dialects may be different, but effectively,
    it keeps coming back to what do we name the Great One, and
    Denali and Koyukon Athabascan is just that.
        To me, this is about respecting the original stewards of
    the land who gave this fitting name. Now, I am not surprised by
    the testimony that we have received from the Department today,
    but I would encourage the administration to reexamine the
    position on the bill. The multi-decade effort to name this
    mountain Denali, rightfully, is a bipartisan issue in the
    state. Going back to 1975, our state government first
    petitioned the Federal Government to align with the state's
    designation of Denali. So, this is something that has been
    going on, again, for decades here. And this is nothing to
    denigrate President McKinley and his reputation and the
    contributions that he has provided to this country. He is
    absolutely worthy of recognition. But it's often pointed out
    that he was never to the State of Alaska, whether as President
    or even as an individual.
        So, as we think about ways to show tribute to his important
    legacy, I think it's important to note that by restoring Denali
    to its rightful name, the McKinley legacy is not erased or
    diminished in any way. It lives on through numerous, numerous
    sites and tributes. You have the McKinley National Memorial,
    the National McKinley Birthplace Memorial, the McKinley
    Presidential Library and Museum. You have statues in Ohio,
    Hawaii, and Illinois, among others. So, this is nothing against
    our former President and the contributions that he has made. It
    truly is focused on recognizing the original stewards of the
    land and the designation that they have given it.
        I have just one quick question for Mr. Caldwell today.
    Within the Secretarial Order that came out, it directs the
    Board of Geographic Names to reverse Denali's name, as I
    mentioned, but it also requires, and I am reading directly
    here, ``appropriate DOI officials to work with Alaska Native
    entities and state and local organizations to pursue adopting
    names for landmarks to honor the history and culture of the
    Alaskan people.'' So, that was included as part of the
    Secretarial Order. And you know, looking past the fact that the
    Denali renaming is contrary to the direction to honor the
    history and culture of Alaskan people, can you give me any
    update as to how this aspect of the order is being carried out
    in Alaska? Who in the Department may be engaged in this
    objective?
        Mr. Caldwell. Thank you, Senator, for your question. I
    don't have that information today, but I will relay your
    question and we will get back to you on that.
        Senator Murkowski. I would appreciate that.
        Mr. Caldwell. Thank you.
        Senator Murkowski. I have been asked by others and I
    haven't had the answer for them. So, if you can help us out
    with that, I would appreciate that.
        Mr. Caldwell. Will do.
        Senator Murkowski. Mr. Chairman and Mr. Co-Chairman, thank
    you for making sure that these important measures are on the
    docket as well as so many others that are before the Committee
    right now. I appreciate it.
        Senator Daines. Senator Murkowski, thank you.
        If there are no more questions for today, members may also
    submit follow-up written questions for the record before 6:00
    p.m. tomorrow. The hearing record will be open for one week.
        I want to thank Mr. Caldwell for his time and his testimony
    today.
        This hearing is now adjourned.
        [Whereupon, at 11:04 a.m., the hearing was adjourned.]

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