[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
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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
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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
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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.]
APPENDIX MATERIAL SUBMITTED
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