[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 66 (Thursday, May 21, 1998)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E934]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




        LET'S HELP OUR NATIONAL PARKS AND THE AMERICAN TAXPAYER

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. GEORGE MILLER

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                         Thursday, May 21, 1998

  Mr. MILLER of California. Mr. Speaker, today I am introducing 
legislation, with the cosponsorship of several of my colleagues, to 
provide a fair return to the public for the commercial use of our 
national parks and to use those funds to maintain and enhance park 
resources and visitor services.
  The National Park Service is being hamstrung in the changes it can 
make to its concessions policies by the provisions of the outdated 1965 
Concessions Policy Act. At a time when families, senior citizens, and 
other recreational users visiting our parks are required to pay higher 
fees, the same is not being required of commercial operators who profit 
from our national parks. For far too long, the public has not received 
a fair return on the commercial revenues generated in our national 
parks. It's time to end this situation.
  ``The National Park Service Concession Policy Reform Act of 1998'' is 
the successor of the NPS concessions reform legislation of the 103rd 
Congress, which, although it passed the House in 1994 by an 
overwhelming vote of 386 to 30 and the Senate by an equally 
overwhelming vote of 90 to 9, never was enacted into law. The 
provisions of my bill have been the subject of numerous hearings over 
the years and addresses problems identified in GAO and Inspector 
General reports. It is a proposal that has had the support of the 
Administration, environmental organizations, and taxpayer watchdog 
groups. Similar legislation has been introduced in the Senate by 
Senator Dale Bumpers.
  The legislation provides meaningful competition for NPS contracts to 
provide goods and services to park visitors. The bill eliminates 
certain preferential rights of renewal and phases out possessory 
interest, both of which have been major barriers to competition. In 
addition, it provides that the funds generated from concession 
contracts will stay in the parks to benefit park resources and visitor 
services.
  If we want to increase the return to the public and enhance park 
resources while still making available to visitors a quality 
concessions service, we need to install a competitive process instead 
of maintaining advantages for select commercial operators. The National 
Park Service Concession Policy Reform Act achieves these purposes. I 
hope Members will add their support to this legislation.

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