[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 100 (Monday, June 19, 1995)]
[Senate]
[Page S8614]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


          STATEMENTS ON INTRODUCED BILLS AND JOINT RESOLUTIONS

      By Mr. THOMAS (for himself, Mr. Simpson, Mr. Craig, and Mr. 
        Campbell):
  S. 943. A bill to require the Secretary of the Treasury to mint and 
issue coins in commemoration of the 125th anniversary of Yellowstone 
National Park; to the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs.


 THE YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK 125TH ANNIVERSARY COMMEMORATIVE COIN ACT

  Mr. THOMAS. Mr. President, I send a bill to the desk and ask that it 
be referred appropriately.
  I am pleased to say that Senators Simpson, Craig, and Campbell are 
joining me to sponsor the Yellowstone National Park 125th Anniversary 
Commemorative Coin Act.
  Yellowstone National Park, of course, is largely in my State of 
Wyoming. It is, I think, the crown jewel of the National Park System. 
It is the first national park having had its 100th anniversary sometime 
back. It consists of about 3,400 square miles, the largest national 
park. We believe that we are joined by most to think it is the crown 
jewel of the Park System.
  We have had--and we continue to have, Mr. President--substantial 
financial strain on our national parks, some of it due to the expansion 
of the authorization of parks far beyond our ability to pay for them. 
We have this expansion continuing to go on with a debt of about $4 
billion in authorized expenditures which have not been able to have 
been appropriated.
  There is increased wear and tear on 500 miles of roads in Yellowstone 
Park, 1,000 miles of trails, and countless public facilities. And, 
frankly, there is a need for $600 to $700 million to do the kind of 
maintenance that is necessary over a period of time. That will be very 
difficult to extract from the budget.
  The bill that we offer is one that would authorize and provide for 
the minting and issue of 500,000 $1 silver coins for Yellowstone's 
125th anniversary in 1997. For the taxpayers, this is a budget-neutral 
proposition. It does not cost the taxpayers anything.
  The surcharges from the sale of the coins will be split evenly, 50 
percent going directly to Yellowstone Park and 50 percent to the Park 
Service for distribution among other parks.
  The sale of the coins could potentially raise $2.5 million for 
Yellowstone's needs.
  Mr. President, chairman, I urge my colleagues to join me in this 
commonsense approach to provide the needed resources for Yellowstone 
Park and properly honor our oldest national park.


                          ____________________