[United States Statutes at Large, Volume 133, 116th Congress, 1st Session]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

 
Proclamation 9864 of April 19, 2019

National Park Week, 2019

By the President of the United States of America

A Proclamation

Our National Parks System is a stunning tribute to our country's
history, traditions, and heritage. Since the creation of Yellowstone
National Park in 1872 by an Act of Congress, countless Americans have
experienced the majesty, the wonder, the adventure, and the history of
our national parks. Many leave with a deepened appreciation for the
beauty of nature, the history of our country, and their place in the
universe. During National Park Week, we celebrate our national parks and
marvel with appreciation at the splendor of our Nation's landscapes and
landmarks.
From sea to shining sea, America offers a vast array of national parks
and monuments for the public to enjoy. The National Parks System
includes 419 areas that cover more than 85 million acres. Each location
is unique, offering a window into a particular chapter of the Nation's
history, a lofty view from a mountaintop, or a fleeting glimpse of
rarely seen wildlife. From the gorges of Yosemite to the fountains of
the World War II Memorial, these sites provide millions of visitors each
year with places of remembrance, reflection, and recreation. There is a
park for each of our Nation's adventurers, no matter their age or
interests.
We must give our parks special care and attention to preserve them and
the special natural and cultural sites they contain. In recent years,
however, many roads, buildings, utility systems, and other
infrastructure systems in our national parks have not received important
repairs or maintenance, creating a backlog of postponed work projects
that totals nearly $12 billion. My Administration is committed to
working with the Congress to significantly reduce this backlog,
including through the establishment of a Public Lands Infrastructure
Fund. In addition, through public-private partnerships, we are bringing
together

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leaders from across the country to improve the management of our public
lands. By working across government and with the private sector, we can
preserve our parks for generations to come, and provide Americans with
more opportunities to experience our country's exhilarating mountain
peaks, calming valleys, scenic vistas, sprawling forests, and compelling
historic cultural sites.
Laying the cornerstone for the gateway to Yellowstone National Park in
1903, President Theodore Roosevelt observed: ``The essential feature in
the present management of Yellowstone Park, as in all similar places, is
its essential democracy--it is the preservation of the scenery, of the
forests, of the wilderness life and the wilderness game for the people
as a whole.'' A century later, Teddy's vision for our national parks
endures. As we observe National Park Week, I encourage Americans to take
advantage of the accessibility of our national parks and to get outside
and experience these magnificent natural and historic treasures.
NOW, THEREFORE, I, DONALD J. TRUMP, President of the United States of
America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and
the laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim April 20 through April
28, 2019, as National Park Week. I encourage all Americans to celebrate
by visiting our national parks and learning more about the natural,
cultural, and historical heritage that belongs to each and every citizen
of the United States of America.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this nineteenth day of
April, in the year of our Lord two thousand nineteen, and of the
Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and forty-
third.
DONALD J. TRUMP