[Congressional Record Volume 171, Number 32 (Tuesday, February 18, 2025)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E136-E137]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




      INTRODUCTION OF THE ACTIVATING NATIONAL PARKS IN CITIES ACT

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                       HON. ELEANOR HOLMES NORTON

                      of the district of columbia

                    in the house of representatives

                       Tuesday, February 18, 2025

  Ms. NORTON. Mr. Speaker, today, I introduce the Activating National 
Parks in Cities Act, which would expand the mission of the National 
Park Service (NPS) to include active use of National Park System units 
in urban areas. This bill would address the unique needs of NPS 
neighborhood parks.
  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, this mission is ill-suited for the unique needs of NPS 
neighborhood parks. In addition to grand national parks, NPS also owns 
neighborhood parks in urban areas. For example, more than 20 percent of 
land in the District of Columbia consists of parkland, and NPS owns 
nearly 90 percent of it, over two-thirds of which consists of 
neighborhood parks, smaller than one acre. These parks could benefit 
from activation.
  A report issued in 2023 by George Washington University's Sumner M. 
Redstone Global Center for Prevention and Wellness examined strategies 
to create a more equitable and activated park system in D.C. As the 
report notes, NPS parks in D.C. ``do not meet the needs of people who 
both live near and experience the park system as a part of their daily 
lives.''
  This bill would expand the mission of NPS to include the promotion of 
active use of its parks in urban areas. Active use prioritizes

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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 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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