[Congressional Record Volume 161, Number 165 (Thursday, November 5, 2015)]
[Senate]
[Pages S7820-S7822]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Ms. CANTWELL (by request):
  S. 2257. A bill to prepare the National Park Service for its 
Centennial in 2016 and for a second century of protecting our national 
parks' natural, historic, and cultural resources for present and future 
generations and for other purposes; to the Committee on Energy and 
Natural Resources.
  Ms. CANTWELL. Mr. President, I am pleased to introduce, by request, 
the Administration's legislative proposal the National Park Service 
Centennial Act.
  The bill authorizes or expands several authorities to assist the 
National Park Service in managing the over 400 units of the National 
Park System as it prepares for the centennial anniversary of the 
agency's establishment in 1916.
  While I may not agree with every provision in the administration's 
proposed bill, I believe it is important for this legislative proposal 
to be considered in the Senate, which is why I agreed to introduce it 
by request. At the same time, I will continue to work with other 
Senators on both sides of the aisle to develop a bipartisan consensus 
on a national park centennial

[[Page S7821]]

bill so that the Senate can consider and pass a bill before the 
National Park Service's centennial anniversary next year.
  Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the administration's 
letter to the Senate transmitting the legislative proposal and a 
section-by-section summary of the bill prepared by the Department of 
the Interior be printed in the Record.
  There being no objection, the material was ordered to be printed in 
the Record, as follows:

                                The Secretary of the Interior,

                                  Washington, DC, August 31, 2015.
     Hon. Joseph R. Biden, Jr.,
     President of the Senate,
     Washington, DC.
       Dear Mr. President:  Enclosed is a draft of a bill 
     entitled, the ``National Park Service Centennial Act.'' Also 
     enclosed is a section-by-section analysis of the bill. We 
     recommend that the bill be introduced, referred to the 
     appropriate committee for consideration, and enacted.
       The National Park Service (NPS) will celebrate its 
     centennial in 2016. As we look ahead to the next century, 
     there are a number of key authorities that need to be 
     authorized, clarified, or expanded to allow us to better 
     serve the American people.
       Title I, the Centennial Declaration, would recognize that 
     the NPS has responsibility not only for administering the 
     units of the National Park System, but for programs that 
     provide financial and technical assistance to states, 
     communities, and individuals to protect our national 
     heritage. Title I would also direct the Secretary of the 
     Interior to utilize these financial and technical assistance 
     programs to further the conservation and enjoyment of the 
     natural and cultural heritage of the Nation for the benefit 
     and inspiration of the public.
       Titles II-IV of the proposed legislation would implement 
     part of the President's Fiscal Year (FY) 2016 Budget request 
     to Congress. Title II would establish a National Park 
     Centennial Challenge Fund of up to $100 million for FY 2016, 
     FY 2017, and 2018 to be used for signature projects that will 
     help prepare the national parks for another century of 
     conservation, preservation, and enjoyment.
       Title III would provide a mandatory appropriation of $300 
     million to the NPS Construction Account for FY 2016, FY 2017, 
     and FY 2018, to correct deficiencies in NPS infrastructure 
     and facilities.
       Title IV would establish the Centennial Land Management 
     Investment Fund, consisting of a mandatory appropriation 
     equal to $100 million for FY 2016, FY 2017, and FY 2018 to 
     provide funding for the Secretaries of the Interior and 
     Agriculture to jointly establish a competitive program 
     available to the four Federal land management agencies for 
     projects that enhance visitor services and outdoor 
     recreational opportunities, restore lands and waters, repair 
     facilities or trails, or increase energy and water 
     efficiency.
       Title V would direct the National Park Foundation (NPF) to 
     establish a special account known as the Second Century 
     Endowment for the NPS, consisting of gifts or bequests 
     provided for this purpose, for projects and activities that 
     further the mission of the NPS.
       Title VI would establish the NPS Second Century Fund in the 
     Treasury, which would be funded through additional lodging or 
     camping fees and funds collected from purchases of the 
     lifetime pass for citizens 62 years of age or older.
       Title VII would clarify or expand authorities for 
     activities that the NPS are already conducting to allow us to 
     better serve the American people. This includes providing 
     clear authority for the interpretation and education work of 
     the NPS by consolidating a number of disparate authorities 
     currently used, and directing the Secretary to ensure that 
     management of National Park System units and related areas is 
     enhanced by the availability and utilization of a broad 
     program of the highest quality interpretation and education. 
     Title VII would also raise the age limit for participation in 
     the Public Lands Corp from 25 to 30 and extend the direct-
     hire authority from 120 days to 2 years, consistent with 
     Department of the Interior resource assistant direct-hire 
     authority. And, this title would remove the $3.5 million 
     authorization ceiling for the Volunteers in the Parks to 
     accommodate the funding needed to support this growing 
     program.
       Title VIII would establish the NPS Visitor Services 
     Management Authority (VMSA), and authorize the Secretary to 
     establish a program to allow the VMSA to award and manage 
     contracts for the operation of commercial visitor services 
     programs and activities.
       Title IX would authorize the Secretary to enter into 
     agreements for the creation of reproductions of a museum 
     object in which the object and its intellectual property 
     rights are under the control of the Secretary. The 
     Administration is developing additional language related to 
     the protection of NPS intellectual property, which we intend 
     to transmit under separate cover.
       Title X would redesignate the Secretary of the Interior and 
     the Director of the NPS as ex officio members of the NPF 
     board. It also would authorize appropriations of $25 million 
     for each of FY 2016 through FY 2026 to NPF that would be used 
     to leverage additional non-federal funds to support our 
     national parks.
       The effect of this draft bill on the deficit is:

                                                                                          FISCAL YEARS
                                                                                      [dollars in millions]
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
      2015             2016            2017            2018            2019            2020            2021            2022            2023            2024            2025            Total
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
           45              312             476             386              67             -71             -11             -52              81             -38             -92           1,103
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

       The Statutory Pay-As-You-Go (PAYGO) Act of 2010 provides 
     that revenue and direct spending legislation cannot, in the 
     aggregate, increase the on-budget deficit. If such 
     legislation increases the on-budget deficit and that increase 
     is not offset by the end of the congressional session, a 
     sequestration must be ordered. This proposal would increase 
     direct spending, is therefore subject to the Statutory PAYGO 
     Act, and should be considered in conjunction with all other 
     proposals that are subject to the Act.
       The Office of Management and Budget has advised that there 
     is no objection to the enactment of the enclosed draft 
     legislation from the standpoint of the Administration's 
     program.
           Sincerely,
     Sally Jewell.
                                  ____


                  National Park Service Centennial Act

                       Section-by-Section Summary


                    Title I--Centennial Declaration

       Recognizes that the National Service has responsibility not 
     only for administering the units of the National Park System, 
     but also for programs that provide financial and technical 
     assistance to states, communities and individuals to protect 
     our national heritage.
       Reaffirms and directs the Secretary of the Interior to 
     utilize these financial and technical assistance programs to 
     further the conservation and enjoyment of the natural and 
     cultural heritage of the nation for the benefit and 
     inspiration of the public.


           Title II--National Park Centennial Challenge Fund

       Establishes in the Treasury a fund to be known as the 
     National Park Centennial Challenge Fund, which will consist 
     of an annual appropriated amount equal to the qualified 
     donations received in the same fiscal year not to exceed $100 
     million for each of fiscal years 2016 through 2018. The fund 
     will be used for signature projects identified as ones that 
     will help prepare the National Parks for another century of 
     conservation, preservation and enjoyment.


          Title III--Second Century Infrastructure Investment

       Provides a mandatory appropriation of $300 million to the 
     National Park Service Construction Account for each of fiscal 
     years 2016 through 2018, to correct deficiencies in National 
     Park Service infrastructure and facilities.


        Title IV--Centennial Land Management Investment Program

       Establishes in the Treasury a fund to be known as the 
     Centennial Land Management Investment Fund, consisting of a 
     mandatory appropriation equal to $100 million for each of 
     fiscal years 2016 through 2018. The Secretaries of the 
     Interior and Agriculture are required to establish jointly a 
     competitive program available to the four federal land 
     management agencies for projects that enhance visitor 
     services and outdoor recreational opportunities, restore 
     lands and waters, repair facilities or trails, or increase 
     energy and water efficiency.


              Title V--National Park Foundation Endowment

       Establishes in the National Park Foundation a special 
     account to be known as the Second Century Endowment for the 
     National Park Service, consisting of gifts or bequests 
     provided for this purpose. The National Park Foundation may 
     use the funds deposited in the Endowment for projects and 
     activities approved by the Secretary that further the mission 
     and purposes of the National Park Service.


          Title VI--National Park Service Second Century Fund

       Establishes in the Treasury an account to be known as the 
     National Park Service Second Century Fund, with funds 
     remaining available to the Secretary of the Interior until 
     expended and available without further appropriation. Funds 
     may only be used if matched, on a 1-to-1 basis, by nonfederal 
     donations to the National Park Service for specified projects 
     and programs
       Funds the account with two sources of funding: (1) fees in 
     addition to the daily cost of lodging or camping within a 
     unit of the national park system; and (2) funds from amounts 
     above $10.00 that are collected from purchases of the 
     lifetime pass for citizens 62

[[Page S7822]]

     years of age or older (passes would be available at the same 
     cost as the National Parks and Federal Recreational Lands 
     Pass).


           Title VII--National Park Next Generation Stewards

               NPS Interpretation and Education Authority

       Provides clear authority for the interpretation and 
     education work of the National Park Service by consolidating 
     a number of disparate authorities currently used.
       Directs the Secretary of the Interior to ensure that 
     management of National Park System units and related areas is 
     enhanced by the availability and utilization of a broad 
     program of the highest quality interpretation and education.

                     Public Lands Corps Amendments

       Raises the age limit for participation in the Public Lands 
     Corps from 25 to 30. This section also would provide non-
     competitive hiring status to a former Public Lands Corps 
     member from the current 120 days after the member's service 
     is completed to a period of up to two years.

                          Volunteers in Parks

       Removes the $3.5 million authorization ceiling for the 
     Volunteers in the Parks to accommodate the funding needed to 
     support this growing program.


  Title VIII--National Park Service Visitor Service Management Program

       Authorizes the Secretary of the Interior to establish the 
     National Park Service Visitor Services Management Authority 
     (VMSA) to award and manage contracts for the operation of 
     commercial visitor services programs and activities.
       Authorizes the establishment of a VSMA operating board, a 
     director of the VSMA, and the hiring of staff.
       Authorizes the use of funds collected by the VSMA from the 
     contracts awarded to be available for expenditure by the VSMA 
     in furtherance of the purposes of the law.


                    Title IX--Intellectual Property

       Authorizes the Secretary of the Interior to enter into 
     agreements for the creation of reproductions of a museum 
     object in which the object and its intellectual property 
     rights are under the control of the Secretary. The agreements 
     may include provisions for the collection of fees or 
     royalties, which can be retained and used by the park or 
     repository where the museum object is held.


                   Title X--National Park Foundation

       Authorizes the Secretary of the Interior and the Director 
     of the National Park Service as ex officio members of the 
     National Park Foundation board.
       Authorizes appropriations of $25 million for each of fiscal 
     years 2016 through 2026 to National Park Foundation, and 
     prohibits the use of these finds for administrative expenses 
     of the Foundation.

                          ____________________