[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 146 (Wednesday, October 14, 1998)]
[Senate]
[Pages S12541-S12542]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
VISION 20-20 LEGISLATION
Mr. MURKOWSKI. Mr. President, today is a historic day for the
Congress, the National Park Service and the American people. After two
years of intense negotiations, hearings from coast to coast, and a
great deal of hard work I am pleased to inform my colleagues that we
have National Park Service Reform.
More importantly, after eight years of disagreement, and as part of
the National Park Service reform package, we have achieved victory; we
have come together in true bi-partisan fashion, and we have reformed
the management and administration of concession operations in the
National Park Service System.
Under this legislation, and in addition to concession reform, we have
provided the National Park Service with increased opportunities, in
cooperation with colleges and universities, to conduct scientific
research in our parks so that in future years resource management
decisions can be based more on sound science as opposed to emotion and
guess work.
We direct the Secretary of the Interior to develop a comprehensive
training program for employees in all professional careers in the work
force of the National Park Service to ensure that personnel have the
best, up-to-date knowledge, skills and abilities with which to manage,
interpret and protect the resources of the National Park System.
As we all know the management and administration of parks is becoming
more complex. We require managers who are fully prepared to take on the
challenges that the next century will offer. The Secretary is directed
to develop a training program which will ensure that future park
managers will come from the cream of the crop and will be fully
prepared to assume the responsibilities that management and
administration of multiple park programs will demand.
We have established procedures for the establishment of new units of
the National Park System to ensure that only those areas of truly
national significance are authorized.
Mr. President, the original bill passed by the Senate contained new
fee authorities which would have allowed the actual users of the System
to shoulder more of the responsibility to decrease the $8 billion
dollar back-log in maintenance and infrastructure repair needed in our
parks. Unfortunately, the other Body decided to delete these provisions
from this legislative package. I regret this decision; however, I want
you to know that the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources is going
to address the fee systems for all of the agencies under our
jurisdiction early in the next Congress. There are needs to be met and
problems to be resolved in this specific arena.
Senator Thomas came up with a park passport and stamp as an entrance
pass to our National Parks. The winning design of the stamp will be
through a competitive process each year, a similar process to the
popular Duck Stamp that we are all familiar with. It's a great
marketing tool and should increase revenues. Along that same line we
are directing the National Park Foundation to assist other park friends
groups. The Foundation possesses a great deal of expertise in fund
raising and philanthropic activities. Sharing that expertise will
benefit hundreds of parks across this Nation.
We also direct the Secretary and provide him the authority to lease
unused Park Service buildings and enter into expanded cooperative
agreements in the hope that the private sector will take advantage of
occupying and maintaining some of these unused structures, thereby off-
setting expenditures by the Service.
Mr. President, Senator Thomas, Senator Bumpers, Senator Bennett, and
Secretary Babbitt entered into negotiations on concession reform. The
end result is before you today. All of these gentlemen deserve our
congratulations and thanks for the time and energy each put into the
effort.
This bill is a direct result of discussions amongst the House and
Senate Committees, representatives of the concession industry, and
other interest groups. It reflects, I believe, a fair and just
resolution of some issues about which there is legitimate disagreement.
The recent amendment offered by Representative Miller alters the terms
of that agreement to some degree, but it remains a piece of legislation
I can still support and endorse. However, I do think the amendment does
give rise to a need for some clarification.
Protection of the existing possessory interests of concessioners is
an important element of this legislation. Possessory interest is a
significant and valuable right. It reflects the capital investment of
the concessioner. It was one of the foundations on which the 1965
Concessions Act was built and it
[[Page S12542]]
can not be simply eliminated. The concessioners are entitled to the
protections which the 1965 Act promised.
For those reasons I think we must make clear what the Miller
amendment does not do. In authorizing the Secretary to, in the future,
alter the treatment of possessory interests, it does not empower him to
do what Congress has specifically chosen not to do, by which I mean
deny those concessioners the value of their existing possessory
interest. Regardless of what the Secretary may ultimately decide, those
existing possessory interest will remain a valuable and legally
protected right for which concessioners must be compensated. They will
remain entitled to see their investment protected and to receive the
benefit of their bargain.
Mr. President, on another point, we have just received a GAO study
that tells us that many of our existing concession facilities are below
standard and deteriorating. Visitors to our parks should not expect to
stay in a facility that cannot pass the minimum requirements that apply
to those hotels and motels on the borders of our parks. On that note,
and as I have previously stated the negotiations that lead to this
compromise were difficult to say the least. Each had to come across the
table, no one got everything they wanted except the American people,
and they got a lot.
The provisions of this compromise mean that we will have the
expertise of the private sector to assist and advise the National Park
Service in the management and administration of concession operations.
I am confident that under this scenario concession operations have no
where to go but to produce better quality services.
The private sector will be more than glad to provide major
investments in new and existing facilities because they are able to
maintain a financial interest in the properties. There is a great
incentive for the operators to maintain their facilities and
infrastructure to the highest standards possible. If they don't, the
provisions provide for a decrease in the dollar amount of interest they
are entitled to receive.
Finally, concession operators will be paying more in fees which go
back to the parks.
Mr. President, I personally want to thank Senator Thomas for the
extreme effort that he has put forth in this endeavor. In my years in
the Senate I have never seen a Senator work harder on this contentious
issue. He has done the impossible.
And, last but not least, I want to say thank you to the Committee
staff, for the hard work, the lost weekends, the evenings and for the
great work.
Mr. THOMAS. I suggest the absence of a quorum.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will call the roll.
The bill clerk proceeded to call the roll.
Mr. HARKIN. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order for
the quorum call be rescinded.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
Mr. HARKIN. Mr. President, I understand we are in morning business. I
ask unanimous consent that I be allowed to speak for the next 15
minutes uninterrupted.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there objection? Without objection, the
Senator from Iowa is recognized.
Mr. HARKIN. I thank the President.
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