[Congressional Record Volume 142, Number 130 (Thursday, September 19, 1996)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1664]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




        NATIONAL PARK SERVICE ADMINISTRATIVE REFORM ACT OF 1996

                                 ______
                                 

                               speech of

                          HON. BRUCE F. VENTO

                              of minnesota

                    in the house of representatives

                      Tuesday, September 17, 1996

  Mr. VENTO. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to support this important piece 
of legislation, which is the result of much effort and hard work. As 
the former chairman of the National Parks, Forests and Public Lands 
Subcommittee, I maintain a deep concern for this issue. In 1994, I 
released a General Accounting Office report, which was undertaken at my 
request, that called for reexamination of employee housing needs within 
the National Park Service [NPS]. During consideration of H.R. 2941 in 
the Resources Committee this year, I continued to offer my input to 
improve it, including an amendment I offered which is now part of the 
bill. I want to commend my colleagues, Mr. Hefley and Chairman Hansen, 
along with Mr. Richardson for their positive efforts regarding this 
proposed policy.
   I support efforts to ensure that the housing needs of National Park 
Service employees are met. In this time of downsizing and fiscal 
constraints, we must scrutinize all programs including our natural 
resources programs, to make sure scarce Federal dollars are allocated 
fairly. This bill provides general authority for the Park Service to 
make housing available for its employees, both on and off Federal 
lands, at costs commensurate with comparable housing in the surrounding 
area. Authorization is given for leasing of Federal land to private 
contractors to permit them to build and maintain housing for parks 
employees.
  When the bill was considered in the Resources Committee, my amendment 
added several important provisions. To ensure that the needs of parks 
employees and our responsibilities to the American taxpayer are both 
met, this bill grants additional housing authority to the Park Service 
only where that authority is necessary and justified. The NPS will have 
to review and revise the existing criteria under which housing is 
provided to employees of the Park Service. My additions also require 
that the NPS submit a plan on how to meet the housing needs of parks 
employees. When this review is completed for specific units of the NPS, 
and the need is established, authorization is given to enter into 
housing agreements to develop, construct, rehabilitate, or manage 
housing on, or off public lands for rent, or lease by NPS employees.

  Clearly there are many NPS units today that do not require or justify 
public employee or private employee housing within or outside of the 
parks units. Times have changed and it is appropriate for the policy to 
recognize reality. Transportation and development have greatly improved 
and the necessity of NPS housing is much reduced. The problems 
associated with managing a National Park unit in the 1990's are 
tremendous, and park housing policy too often flows to business as 
usual, imposing more management headaches that are not justified by the 
circumstance. The National Forest Service and the Bureau of Land 
Management with vast land, nearly 600 million acres, have far less, not 
even 20 percent of the employee housing, that exists in the 90 million 
acres of NPS lands. This speaks for itself even as we recognize the 
different missions and responsibilities. It is time the NPS reevaluate 
and refocus its housing policy. This measure is one such opportunity--a 
tough but necessary task.
  With these provisions, this bill has been improved and updated. The 
bill is consistent with good management practices and sound policy-
making. I urge my colleagues to support the bill.

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