[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 125 (Thursday, September 18, 1997)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1799]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


                      NATIONAL PARK FEE EQUITY ACT

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                        HON. JOHN J. DUNCAN, JR.

                              of tennessee

                    in the house of representatives

                      Thursday, September 18, 1997

  Mr. DUNCAN. Mr. Speaker, today I introduced the National Park Fee 
Equity Act. This legislation will allow those national parks which 
cannot charge an entrance fee to keep all other fees which are 
collected for activities within that park.
  There are units of the park system which cannot collect fees because 
when these parks were created deed restricts were placed on the land 
donated to the Federal Government.
  Last Congress, this body recognized the need to keep more of the 
money in the parks rather than sending it back to Washington. This was 
accomplished when we created the Fee Demonstration Program.
  This program allows parks to keep 80 percent of the user fees, above 
what was taken in during 1994, in the park where they are collected. 
Unfortunately, there are some parks which cannot charge entrance fees.
  The fact that these parks cannot charge an entrance fee hampers their 
ability to collect funds for park improvements. Therefore, I think it 
is only fair that all other fees collected in these parks remain there 
to help protect and improve them.
  One such park, the Great Smoky Mountains, is the most visited park in 
the United States. However, since it cannot charge an entrance fee, it 
does not get to keep as much money as other parks do for improvements 
to campgrounds, trails, buildings, and other facilities there.
  I believe that we need to do everything we can to help our Nation's 
parks. Currently, the National Park System has a maintenance and 
construction backlog estimated to be between 4 and 6 billion dollars. 
The bill I have introduced is a step toward addressing this problem.
  Mr. Speaker, this is a very modest proposal in terms of the Federal 
budget. However, this money will go a long way in helping us preserve 
these parks for enjoyment of future generations. I urge my colleagues 
to support the National Park Fee Equity Act.

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