[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 158 (2012), Part 11]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 15762]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




INTRODUCTION OF THE COLUMBIA NATIONAL PARK SYSTEM CRITICAL AUTHORITIES 
                              ACT OF 2012

                                 ______
                                 

                       HON. ELEANOR HOLMES NORTON

                      of the district of columbia

                    in the house of representatives

                      Wednesday, November 28, 2012

  Ms. NORTON. Mr. Speaker, The National Park System Critical 
Authorities Act of 2012, which I introduce today, is a bill that I have 
worked on with the National Park Service (NPS), at its request, to 
create greater efficiency and to address three common-sense issues: (1) 
snow removal from federal agency property in the District of Columbia, 
(2) visitor and employee access to historic NPS property in Virginia, 
and (3) uniform penalties for violations on NPS lands.
  Section two of the bill amends a 1922 law by making federal agencies 
in the District responsible for the removal of snow and ice in public 
areas associated with their buildings. For years, agencies have taken 
this common-sense approach in the District and assumed this 
responsibility, but the law has never been updated to reflect the 
practice, leaving NPS with legal liability. This bill simply brings the 
law in line with current practice.
  Section three of the bill promotes greater efficiency and protection 
to NPS, the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), and the Federal Highway 
Administration (FHWA) by authorizing a small interagency land exchange 
near the George Washington Memorial Parkway. Currently, Colonial Farm 
Road provides public and staff access to Claude Moore Colonial Farm 
(the Farm), but also serves as an entrance road to the CIA's George 
Bush Center for Intelligence and the FHWA Turner Fairbanks Research 
Center. NPS and FHWA have a written agreement permitting visitor access 
to the Farm. However, the three agencies have discussed concerns over 
crossing property lines, the need to improve security and add perimeter 
fencing, and the need to have uninterrupted access to their properties. 
The agencies have identified parcels on their boundaries suitable for 
exchange that will provide access to the Farm, and provide the means to 
improve security for the CIA and FHWA facilities.
  Section four of the bill eliminates inconsistencies in federal 
penalties for crimes committed in certain park units. The inclusion of 
a number of military and historic sites in the National Park System 
during the 1930s resulted in a disparity in criminal penalties, which 
undermines fair and effective law enforcement and criminal prosecution. 
The bill would remedy this problem by making violations subject to the 
same penalties.
  I ask that my colleagues support this no-cost bill.

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