[Congressional Record Volume 152, Number 135 (Friday, December 8, 2006)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E2148-E2149]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                         TRIBUTE TO BETTY DICK

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. MARK UDALL

                              of colorado

                    in the house of representatives

                       Thursday, December 7, 2006

  Mr. UDALL of Colorado. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to note the passing 
of Ms. Betty Dick, who died on November 14, 2006, in Arizona. She was 
84. Earlier this year, this body passed a bill I helped author to allow 
Betty to remain on property within Rocky Mountain National Park in 
Colorado for the rest of her life--property that she and her late 
husband had enjoyed and stewarded for 25 years.
  Although she did not get the chance to long enjoy this property under 
the rights of occupation granted under this law--the Betty Dick 
Residence Protection Act--she did appreciate that Congress understood 
her situation and passed a law to allow her to stay.
  All those who got to know Betty understood her grace, her tenacity, 
and her love of the outdoors, this property in the Park, and especially 
her family, friends and neighbors. Before coming to me for help, Betty 
had not had experience working with Congress. Nevertheless, she was a 
quick study fully grasping the nuances of passing a private bill and 
approaching this task with patience, respect for the institution and 
its members, and the need to make her case. She did all of that with 
poise and vigor.
  My involvement in this issue began when Betty met with my staff in 
September of 2004, at which time we learned that Betty's occupancy was 
based on a July, 1980 Settlement Agreement that resolved a lawsuit 
brought by Betty's deceased husband, Mr. Fred Dick, challenging the 
transaction through which the property was conveyed to the federal 
government. The challenge was based on the federal government ignoring 
Mr. Dick's right of first refusal when the property was sold to the 
National Park Service. Invoking this right of first refusal, Mr. Dick 
asked the court to set aside the sale ofthe property to the United 
States and to allow him to repurchase it from his ex-wife.
  Betty and her husband traveled to Washington to negotiate a 
settlement of this lawsuit and were told that the Interior Department 
was prepared to agree to a settlement that would allow them a 
``lifetime occupancy'' of the property in return for their agreement to 
drop the lawsuit. She told me that they agreed to that, but that the 
formal documents to complete the settlement instead provided for 
continued occupancy for a term of 25 years.
  According to Betty, her husband decided to accept and sign the 
documents because he was wornout by protracted negotiations with the 
National Park Service and because he felt that neither he nor his wife 
would live longer than 25 years. So, he did sign the Settlement 
Agreement--which, in addition to reducing the period of occupancy to 25 
years also required him to make a lump sum payment of $7,500 to the 
National Park Service. As it happened, he was right to think that he 
would not outlive the 25-year period, but he was wrong about his widow, 
Betty Dick.
  I also learned that both Fred and Betty Dick had been good stewards 
of this property, opened their home and property for community events 
and the public, and had been good neighbors with the National Park 
Service and its employees. Betty stated to me back in September--and 
has stated throughout--that she is simply asking for an opportunity to 
remain on the property for the rest of her life.
  Given this history, I asked my staff to see what we could do to help. 
Following initial contact with Rocky Mountain National Park after my 
staff's first meeting with Betty in September, I sent a letter to the 
Secretary of the Interior on October 12, 2004 respectfully requesting 
that the Park Service sit down with Betty and renegotiate the terms of 
the Settlement Agreement. I also suggested that in return for this 
renegotiation Betty offer something of value in exchange for her being 
able to remain on this property.
  The response to that request was a letter back from the National Park 
Service's Intermountain Region Director indicating that the Park 
Service was unwilling to sit down with Betty and work out either an 
extension of the Settlement Agreement, or some other arrangement with 
her. Given this response, I determined that the National Park Service 
was either uninterested or unable to take administrative steps to 
resolve the matter fairly, and that as a result my only option was to 
introduce legislation that would extend the terms of the Settlement 
Agreement and allow Ms. Dick to stay on this property for the remainder 
of her life.
  That bill was H.R. 432, which I introduced on January 26, 2005. The 
bill extended the terms of the Settlement Agreement allowing Betty to 
occupy the cabin on this property for as long as Betty was alive. 
Senator Ken Salazar introduced a companion version of this bill on 
March 3, 2005.
  Following the introduction of this bill, I continued to urge the 
National Park Service to work out some administrative resolution. I 
wrote a letter to the Park Service explaining that I thought that this 
situation was unique and urged the National Park Service to sit down 
with her and work out a resolution. Still, the Park Service chose not 
to work this out equitably.

[[Page E2149]]

  Betty testified for her bill before the House and Senate. I and other 
members of the Committee were impressed with her composure and the 
strength her plight. Consequently, the bill passed and was signed by 
the President on May 12th of this year.
  I was also impressed with the outpouring of support from Betty's 
friends and neighbors in Grand County and the Town of Grand Lake, the 
communities along the western side of the Park. These people stood 
beside Betty as they valued her contributions to the community and the 
Park.
  I was deeply saddened by Betty's passing. She died with her family 
around her.
  In late August, I presented Betty with a framed copy of the signed 
law allowing her to stay. She was surrounded by friends and family who 
were gathered around the campfire just outside the cabin. All around us 
was the beauty and splendor of the Rocky Mountains and Betty got to 
enjoy her last days there secure in knowing that she had a right to 
enjoy and care for this property that meant so much to her and the 
community.
  Betty opened her home to community events and was a valued member of 
Grand County. She was well regarded by everyone who knew her. Her cause 
became a labor of love and I was pleased to do what I could to help 
her. She will be missed by all those who were inspired by her love of 
life and her love of that special land along the Colorado River in the 
Park. I had hoped to visit her in future summers and enjoy her company 
and her neighbors around the campfire. She will always be there in 
spirit.
  Mr. Speaker, I want to thank my colleagues for helping pass the Betty 
Dick Residence Protection Act. Our work for Betty shows that our 
government can be responsive to the needs of individuals as long as we 
take the time to listen, learn and care. I am proud of our work for 
Betty and for the principle of responsive government.

                          ____________________