[House Report 117-105]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
117th Congress } { Rept. 117-105
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
1st Session } { Part 1
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ALEXANDER LOFGREN VETERANS IN PARKS (VIP) ACT
_______
July 26, 2021.--Ordered to be printed
_______
Mr. Grijalva, from the Committee on Natural Resources, submitted the
following
R E P O R T
[To accompany H.R. 4300]
The Committee on Natural Resources, to whom was referred
the bill (H.R. 4300) to direct the Secretary of the Interior to
make free National Parks and Federal Recreational Lands Passes
available to members of the Armed Forces, and for other
purposes, having considered the same, reports favorably thereon
with amendments and recommends that the bill as amended do
pass.
The amendments are as follows:
Strike all after the enacting clause and insert the
following:
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Alexander Lofgren Veterans in Parks
Act'' or the ``VIP Act''.
SEC. 2. RECREATION PASSES.
Section 805 of the Federal Lands Recreation Enhancement Act (Public
Law 108-447; 118 Stat. 3385; 16 U.S.C. 6804) is amended--
(1) in subsection (a)(4), by striking ``age and disability
discounted'' and inserting ``age discount and lifetime''; and
(2) in subsection (b)--
(A) in the heading, by striking ``Discounted'' and
inserting ``Free and Discounted'';
(B) in paragraph (2)--
(i) in the heading, by striking ``Disability
discount'' and inserting ``Lifetime passes'';
and
(ii) by striking subparagraph (B) and
inserting the following:
``(B) Any veteran who provides adequate proof of
military service as determined by the Secretary.
``(C) Any member of a Gold Star Family who meets the
eligibility requirements of section 3.2 of Department
of Defense Instruction 1348.36 (or a successor
instruction).''; and
(C) in paragraph (3)--
(i) in the heading, by striking ``Gold star
families parks pass'' and inserting ``Annual
passes''; and
(ii) by striking ``members of'' and all that
follows through the end of the sentence and
inserting ``members of the Armed Forces and
their dependents who provide adequate proof of
eligibility for such pass as determined by the
Secretary.''.
Amend the title so as to read:
A bill to direct the Secretary of the Interior and the
Secretary of Agriculture to make free National Parks and
Federal Recreational Lands Passes available to members of the
Armed Forces, and for other purposes.
Purpose of the Bill
The purpose of H.R. 4300 is to direct the Secretary of the
Interior and the Secretary of Agriculture to make free National
Parks and Federal Recreational Lands Passes available to
members of the Armed Forces, veterans, and Gold Star Families.
Background and Need for Legislation
H.R. 4300 would provide free annual America the Beautiful
Passes to current military service members and free lifetime
America the Beautiful Passes to veterans and members of Gold
Star Families. The America the Beautiful Pass provides access
to more than 2,000 federal recreation areas, including our
National Parks, National Forests, and Wildlife Refuges.
Although the America the Beautiful annual pass became free
for veterans and Gold Star Families in 2020, this change for
veterans has never been codified. H.R. 4300 would codify this
practice and make them into lifetime passes instead of annual
passes. The bill would also codify no-cost annual passes for
current service members, which would then be converted into
lifetime passes once they leave the military.
The bill was amended at markup to change the short title of
the bill to the ``Alexander Lofgren Veterans in Parks (VIP)
Act'' in honor of Mr. Alexander Lofgren, a Congressional
staffer for Chair Raul M. Grijalva who tragically lost his life
during an outing in Death Valley National Park. After serving
for four years in the U.S. Army as a combat engineer, and his
deployment to Afghanistan in 2011, Mr. Lofgren returned home to
Arizona to serve in Chair Grijalva's office as part of the
Wounded Warrior Fellowship Program, handling issues and
constituent casework concerning veterans' health care and
benefits. As one of the greatest proponents for using our
nation's public lands as both a way for returning veterans to
reconnect with nature and to heal, renaming this legislation
after Mr. Lofgren is a fitting tribute to his legacy and
service to our nation.
Committee Action
H.R. 4300 was introduced on July 1, 2021, by Representative
Mariannette Miller-Meeks (R-IA). The bill was referred to the
Committee on Natural Resources, and in addition to the
Committee on Agriculture. Within the former Committee, the bill
was referred to the Subcommittee on National Parks, Forests,
and Public Lands. On July 13, 2021, the Subcommittee held a
hearing on the bill. On July 14, 2021, the Natural Resources
Committee met to consider the bill. The Subcommittee was
discharged by unanimous consent. Chair Raul M. Grijalva (D-AZ)
offered an amendment designated Grijalva-Westerman #1. The
amendment was agreed to by unanimous consent. The bill, as
amended, was adopted and ordered favorably reported to the
House of Representatives by unanimous consent.
Hearings
For the purposes of clause 3(c)(6) of House rule XIII, the
following hearing was used to develop or consider this measure:
hearing by the Subcommittee on National Parks, Forests, and
Public Lands held on July 13, 2021.
Committee Oversight Findings and Recommendations
Regarding clause 2(b)(1) of rule X and clause 3(c)(1) of
rule XIII of the Rules of the House of Representatives, the
Committee on Natural Resources' oversight findings and
recommendations are reflected in the body of this report.
Compliance With House Rule XIII and Congressional Budget Act
1. Cost of Legislation and the Congressional Budget Act.
With respect to the requirements of clause 3(c)(2) of rule XIII
of the Rules of the House of Representatives and section 308(a)
of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974 and with respect to
requirements of clause (3)(c)(3) of rule XIII of the Rules of
the House of Representatives and section 402 of the
Congressional Budget Act of 1974, the Committee has requested
but not received a cost estimate for this bill from the
Director of Congressional Budget Office. The Committee adopts
as its own cost estimate the forthcoming cost estimate of the
Director of the Congressional Budget Office, should such cost
estimate be made available before House passage of the bill.
The Committee has requested but not received from the
Director of the Congressional Budget Office a statement as to
whether this bill contains any new budget authority, spending
authority, credit authority, or an increase or decrease in
revenues or tax expenditures.
Congressional Budget Office staff have informed the
Committee on a preliminary, informal, nonbinding basis that the
bill would likely result in an insignificant change in direct
spending.
2. General Performance Goals and Objectives. As required by
clause 3(c)(4) of rule XIII, the general performance goals and
objectives of this bill are to direct the Secretary of the
Interior and the Secretary of Agriculture to make free National
Parks and Federal Recreational Lands Passes available to
members of the Armed Forces, veterans, and Gold Star Families.
Earmark Statement
This bill does not contain any Congressional earmarks,
limited tax benefits, or limited tariff benefits as defined
under clause 9(e), 9(f), and 9(g) of rule XXI of the Rules of
the House of Representatives.
Unfunded Mandates Reform Act Statement
An estimate of Federal mandates prepared by the Director of
the Congressional Budget Office pursuant to section 423 of the
Unfunded Mandates Reform Act was not made available to the
Committee in time for the filing of this report. The Chair of
the Committee shall cause such estimate to be printed in the
Congressional Record upon its receipt by the Committee.
Existing Programs
This bill does not establish or reauthorize a program of
the federal government known to be duplicative of another
program.
Applicability to Legislative Branch
The Committee finds that the legislation does not relate to
the terms and conditions of employment or access to public
services or accommodations within the meaning of section
102(b)(3) of the Congressional Accountability Act.
Preemption of State, Local, or Tribal Law
Any preemptive effect of this bill over state, local, or
tribal law is intended to be consistent with the bill's
purposes and text and the Supremacy Clause of Article VI of the
U.S. Constitution.
Changes in Existing Law Made by the Bill, as Reported
In compliance with clause 3(e) of rule XIII of the Rules of
the House of Representatives, changes in existing law made by
the bill, as reported, are shown as follows (existing law
proposed to be omitted is enclosed in black brackets, new
matter is printed in italics, and existing law in which no
change is proposed is shown in roman):
FEDERAL LANDS RECREATION ENHANCEMENT ACT
* * * * * * *
DIVISION J--OTHER MATTERS
* * * * * * *
TITLE VIII--FEDERAL LANDS RECREATION ENHANCEMENT ACT
* * * * * * *
SEC. 805. RECREATION PASSES.
(a) America the Beautiful--the National Parks and Federal
Recreational Lands Pass.--
(1) Availability and use.--The Secretaries shall
establish, and may charge a fee for, an interagency
national pass to be known as the ``America the
Beautiful--the National Parks and Federal Recreational
Lands Pass'', which shall cover the entrance fee and
standard amenity recreation fee for all Federal
recreational lands and waters for which an entrance fee
or a standard amenity recreation fee is charged.
(2) Image competition for recreation pass.--The
Secretaries shall hold an annual competition to select
the image to be used on the National Parks and Federal
Recreational Lands Pass for a year. The competition
shall be open to the public and used as a means to
educate the American people about Federal recreational
lands and waters.
(3) Notice of establishment.--The Secretaries shall
publish a notice in the Federal Register when the
National Parks and Federal Recreational Lands Pass is
first established and available for purchase.
(4) Duration.--The National Parks and Federal
Recreational Lands Pass shall be valid for a period of
12 months from the date of the issuance of the
recreation pass to a passholder, except in the case of
the [age and disability discounted] age discount and
lifetime passes issued under subsection (b).
(5) Price.--The Secretaries shall establish the price
at which the National Parks and Federal Recreational
Lands Pass will be sold to the public.
(6) Sales locations and marketing.--
(A) In general.--The Secretary shall sell the
National Parks and Federal Recreational Lands
Pass at all Federal recreational lands and
waters at which an entrance fee or a standard
amenity recreation fee is charged and at such
other locations as the Secretaries consider
appropriate and feasible.
(B) Use of vendors.--The Secretary may enter
into fee management agreements as provided in
section 6.
(C) Marketing.--The Secretaries shall take
such actions as are appropriate to provide for
the active marketing of the National Parks and
Federal Recreational Lands Pass.
(7) Administrative guidelines.--The Secretaries shall
issue guidelines on administration of the National
Parks and Federal Recreational Lands Pass, which shall
include agreement on price, the distribution of
revenues between the Federal land management agencies,
the sharing of costs, benefits provided, marketing and
design, adequate documentation for discounts under
subsection (b), and the issuance of that recreation
pass to volunteers. The Secretaries shall take into
consideration all relevant visitor and sales data
available in establishing the guidelines.
(8) Development and implementation agreements.--The
Secretaries may enter into cooperative agreements with
governmental and nongovernmental entities for the
development and implementation of the National Parks
and Federal Recreational Lands Pass Program.
(9) Prohibition on other national recreation
passes.--The Secretary may not establish any national
recreation pass, except as provided in this section.
(b) [Discounted] Free and Discounted Passes.--
(1) Age discount.--
(A) The Secretary shall make the National
Parks and Federal Recreational Lands Pass
available to any United States citizen or
person domiciled in the United States who is 62
years of age or older, if the citizen or person
provides adequate proof of such age and such
citizenship or residency. The National Parks
and Federal Recreational Lands Pass made
available under this paragraph shall be
available--
(i) for a period of 12 months from
the date of the issuance, at a cost of
$20; and
(ii) for the lifetime of the
passholder, at a cost equal to the cost
of the National Parks and Federal
Recreational Lands Pass purchased under
subsection (a).
(B) The Secretary shall issue a pass under
subparagraph (A)(ii), for no additional cost,
to any individual who provides evidence, under
policies and guidelines determined by the
Secretary, that the individual has purchased a
pass under subparagraph (A)(i) for each of the
4 years prior to being issued a pass under this
subparagraph.
(2) [Disability discount] Lifetime passes.--The
Secretary shall make the National Parks and Federal
Recreational Lands Pass available, without charge and
for the lifetime of the passholder, to the following:
(A) Any United States citizen or person
domiciled in the United States who has been
medically determined to be permanently
disabled, within the meaning of the term
``disability'' under section 3 of the Americans
with Disabilities Act of 1990 (42 U.S.C.
12102), if the citizen or person provides
adequate proof of the disability and such
citizenship or residency.
[(B) Any veteran who has been found to have a
service-connected disability under title 38,
United States Code.]
(B) Any veteran who provides adequate proof
of military service as determined by the
Secretary.
(C) Any member of a Gold Star Family who
meets the eligibility requirements of section
3.2 of Department of Defense Instruction
1348.36 (or a successor instruction).
(3) [Gold star families parks pass] Annual passes.--
The Secretary shall make the National Parks and Federal
Recreational Lands Pass available, at no cost, to
[members of Gold Star Families who meet the eligibility
requirements of section 3.2 of Department of Defense
Instruction 1348.36 (or a successor instruction).]
members of the Armed Forces and their dependents who
provide adequate proof of eligibility for such pass as
determined by the Secretary.
(c) Site-Specific Agency Passes.--The Secretary may establish
and charge a fee for a site-specific pass that will cover the
entrance fee or standard amenity recreation fee for particular
Federal recreational lands and waters for a specified period
not to exceed 12 months.
(d) Regional Multientity Passes.--
(1) Passes authorized.--The Secretary may establish
and charge a fee for a regional multientity pass that
will be accepted by one or more Federal land management
agencies or by one or more governmental or
nongovernmental entities for a specified period not to
exceed 12 months. To include a Federal land management
agency or governmental or nongovernmental entity over
which the Secretary does not have jurisdiction, the
Secretary shall obtain the consent of the head of such
agency or entity.
(2) Regional multientity pass agreement.--In order to
establish a regional multientity pass under this
subsection, the Secretary shall enter into a regional
multientity pass agreement with all the participating
agencies or entities on price, the distribution of
revenues between participating agencies or entities,
the sharing of costs, benefits provided, marketing and
design, and the issuance of the pass to volunteers. The
Secretary shall take into consideration all relevant
visitor and sales data available when entering into
this agreement.
(e) Discounted or Free Admission Days or Use.--The Secretary
may provide for a discounted or free admission day or use of
Federal recreational lands and waters.
(f) Effect on Existing Passports and Permits.--
(1) Existing passports.--A passport issued under
section 4 of the Land and Water Conservation Fund Act
of 1965 or title VI of the National Parks Omnibus
Management Act of 1998 (Public Law 105-391), such as
the Golden Eagle Passport, the Golden Age Passport, the
Golden Access Passport, and the National Parks
Passport, that was valid on the day before the
publication of the Federal Register notice required
under subsection (a)(3) shall be valid in accordance
with the terms agreed to at the time of issuance of the
passport, to the extent practicable, and remain in
effect until expired, lost, or stolen.
(2) Permits.--A permit issued under section 4 of the
Land and Water Conservation Fund Act of 1965 that was
valid on the day before the date of the enactment of
this Act shall be valid and remain in effect until
expired, revoked, or suspended.
* * * * * * *
[GRAPHIC(S) NOT AVAILABLE IN TIFF FORMAT]
Supplemental, Minority, Additional, or Dissenting Views
None.
[all]