[Congressional Record Volume 164, Number 121 (Wednesday, July 18, 2018)]
[House]
[Pages H6476-H6477]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                  NATIONAL PARKS AND RECREATION MONTH

  (Mr. COSTA asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. COSTA. Mr. Speaker, I rise this morning to speak about our 
national parks and our parks and recreational opportunities.
  I grew up in California's San Joaquin Valley, where we are blessed 
with some of the Nation's most beautiful lands. Like many, I spent my 
youth exploring local Fresno recreational areas and the California 
State parks.
  My family and I, many times, visited Kings Canyon National Park and 
one of the crown jewels of all national parks, Yosemite Valley, seen in 
this striking photograph.
  Wallace Stegner, famous writer, historian, and environmentalist, once 
said: ``Our national parks are the best idea we ever had. Absolutely 
American, absolutely democratic, they reflect us at our best rather 
than our worst.''

[[Page H6477]]

  July is Parks and Recreation Month, and I urge everyone across this 
great country to visit our parks and recreational areas. It is great 
for our families and for all of us. Share in something that reflects 
America at our best.
  Let us also remember that wildfires are a regular threat to our parks 
during this season. Fires are, sadly, burning as we speak today near 
Yosemite National Park and throughout the West.
  Our thoughts and prayers are with those brave men and women fighting 
those fires, and their families, while protecting some of America's 
most precious resources.

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