[Congressional Record Volume 169, Number 116 (Thursday, July 6, 2023)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E638]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




   INTRODUCTION OF AN ACT TO EXPAND THE MISSION OF THE NATIONAL PARK 
  SERVICE TO INCLUDE ACTIVE USE OF SYSTEM UNITS LOCATED IN URBAN AREAS

                                 ______
                                 

                       HON. ELEANOR HOLMES NORTON

                      of the district of columbia

                    in the house of representatives

                         Thursday, July 6, 2023

  Ms. NORTON. Mr. Speaker, I rise to introduce a bill that would expand 
the mission of the National Park Service (NPS) to include active use of 
National Park System units located in urban areas. The idea for this 
bill came from a new report authored by George Washington University's 
Sumner M. Redstone Global Center for Prevention and Wellness that 
examined strategies to create a more equitable and activated park 
system in the District of Columbia.
  As the report notes, NPS parks in D.C. are ``inconsistently managed 
and inequitably maintained'' and ``do not meet the needs of people who 
both live near and experience the park system as a part of their daily 
lives.'' Efforts to activate and improve local parks have been hindered 
by limitations on NPS's statutory authority. NPS's primary mission is 
to preserve spaces for the enjoyment of future generations. This noble 
mission was crafted for the purpose of wilderness preservation, 
allowing nature to remain untouched by time. However, in addition to 
grand national parks, NPS also owns neighborhood parks in urban areas. 
For example, more than 20 percent of D.C. land consists of parkland, 
and NPS owns nearly 90 percent of it, over two-thirds of which is 
local, neighborhood parks, smaller than one acre. These parks could 
benefit from improvements that prioritize community engagement, 
including trails, playgrounds and benches. However, NPS's mission is 
limited to preserving land as it currently exists. This mission is ill-
suited to address the unique and immediate needs of urban neighborhood 
parks.
  This bill would expand the mission of NPS to include the promotion of 
active use of its parks located in urban areas. Active use prioritizes 
current enjoyment by people and improves quality of life, including 
playgrounds, pedestrian- and bicycle-friendly infrastructure, sports 
and recreation facilities, community events, programming and 
concessions. This expanded mission would only apply to parks located in 
areas that have been defined and designated as ``urban'' in the most 
recent decennial census by the Secretary of Commerce, and would not 
impact wilderness areas.
  I strongly urge my colleagues to support this bill.

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