[Congressional Record Volume 157, Number 181 (Tuesday, November 29, 2011)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E2122]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                 RECOGNIZING JOSHUA TREE NATIONAL PARK

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                          HON. MARY BONO MACK

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                       Tuesday, November 29, 2011

  Mrs. BONO MACK. Mr. Speaker, I rise today with my colleague and 
fellow Californian, Representative Jerry Lewis, to pay tribute to 
Joshua Tree National Park.
  Joshua Tree National Park has been a special and unique place of 
recreation and refuge in San Bernardino and Riverside Counties for the 
last 75 years. The park was first conferred National Monument status on 
August 10, 1936 by President Franklin Delano Roosevelt. Today, 1.3 
million visitors a year from throughout the world enjoy this 
biologically diverse gem encompassing almost 800,000 acres.
  Located just outside some of the most densely populated parts of our 
Nation, the park provides numerous recreational opportunities for 
American families and international visitors. Campgrounds, scenic 
drives, and hundreds of trails comprise just a few of the multitude of 
ways to enjoy the spectacular desert landscape.
  Thriving gateway communities in the Coachella Valley and Morongo 
Basin have prospered in large part from the tourism opportunities 
created by the park. It is estimated that as an economic engine the 
park generates over 32 million private-sector dollars and supports over 
500 jobs. The park has also created a shared regional identity and 
provided a common link of interest. A testament to the devotion and 
passion instilled in the park's supporters, last year alone 1,059 
individuals volunteered at the park donating 35,000 hours of work.
  Joshua Tree National Park is a crown jewel of the National Park 
Service. It deserves all the support it has received to preserve its 
ecological, historical and cultural integrity. Congratulations to 
everyone who has supported the park over the years and here's to 
ensuring the park continues to flourish and improve for another 75 
years.

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