[Congressional Record Volume 151, Number 48 (Wednesday, April 20, 2005)]
[Senate]
[Page S4009]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                          NATIONAL PARKS WEEK

  Mr. THOMAS. Mr. President, one of the things that all of us enjoy a 
great deal and are very proud of are our national parks. I call 
attention to this week, which is National Parks week, April 18 to 24. 
It is the time when we can recognize all of those wonderful places that 
have been set aside. We will have a number of events take place this 
week to commemorate our national parks.
  Famed western author Wallace Stegner once said:

       National parks are the best idea we ever had. Absolutely 
     American, absolutely democratic--they reflect us at our best 
     rather than our worst.

  Our uniquely American idea began with the creation of Yellowstone 
Park, the world's first national park, in 1872. I am very proud to say 
that this park is in Wyoming, my home State. As a matter of fact, I 
grew up 25 miles out of the gates of Yellowstone Park, and I certainly 
believe it is one of the great parks we have.
  Since that time, of course, we have adopted more. We have exported 
and adopted worldwide this idea of parks, something of which we can be 
very proud. America's gift to the world is the theme of our National 
Parks Week this year, a very fitting theme.
  Each year, more than 260 million people from all over the world visit 
our 388 national park units in our national park system. Collectively, 
of course, these sites reflect our heritage. We have an amazing array 
of resources, whether it is Teton Park, the Everglades of Florida, or 
Alaska, and the Service includes natural resources, cultural resources, 
historic sites commemorating events, significant people and places in 
our history, and memorials to fallen defenders of our Nation. Visitors 
to the parks enjoy these through the services provided by employees 
and, increasingly, the park volunteers and partners. I am amazed at the 
number of people who volunteer to not only show people around the parks 
but to do much of the work there.
  I recognize and thank these employees, these volunteers, the partners 
who work in organizations that support the foundations of our parks. I 
certainly suggest to all of you that you give some thought this week to 
our national parks.
  As the chairman of the subcommittee, I will work to continue to 
assure the national parks meet the standard of our world today.

                          ____________________