▶ 0:16:12Chair Daines: The subcommittee will come to order. The subcommittee hearing is the first in the 100 and 18th congress. I want to thank my co-chair senator king and remind everyone that we refer to each other as cochairs because we view this as perhaps the most bipartisan committee in the U.S. senate. So, we don't have a chairman and ranking member we have cochairs. The gavel has gone back and forth during our tenure. Angus, it's always great to partner with you.
▶ 0:16:43Chair Daines: I look forward to continuing our long streak a bipartisan work. Specifically, I'm excited to continue work on reauthorizing the legacy registration fund to address park service deferred maintenance and our strong bipartisan america the beautiful act. The legacy restoration fund has been a historic investment in our parks and public lands.
▶ 0:17:05Chair Daines: I look forward to working with chairman lee and ranking member heinrich and all of my colleagues to get our america the beautiful act to president trump's desk before the country's two hundred 50th birthday on july 4. On today's agenda we have 26 bills, many of which are bipartisan or have support from the state delegation.
▶ 0:17:27Chair Daines: I'm excited to hear more about senate bill 290, the making national parks safer act, led by senator barrasso and senator king. One of the first hearings that I lead us chairman of the park subcommittee was on encouraging the next generation to visit the parks, where we talked about technology in the parks, including emergency communications and a digital park passes. We have made progress since that hearing back in 2015.
▶ 0:17:54Chair Daines: Senator king and I were successfully getting our bill signed into law last year to allow a digital america the beautiful pass. We still have significant issues with the emergency communications. I look forward to hearing how this bill will help expand next generation 911 and other emergency communications systems.
▶ 0:18:13Chair Daines: We will hear from the parks service on a number of bills led by my colleagues, including senate bill 446, the big cypress national preserve. By 73, designating a mountain in alaska. 60 one related to a memorial in kentucky. 858, the national medal of honor monument location act. 1135, the bonneville shoreline trail. The down east remembrance act.
▶ 0:18:45Chair Daines: 1353 to modify the second division memorial in D.C. 1377 the theater roosevelt national park horses protection act. 2270 the myakka river wild and scenic river act. The patriot parks act. The restoring truth and sanity -- sounds like someone needs that, Mr. cochairman. Restoring truth and sanity to american history act.
▶ 0:19:15Chair Daines: 2970 related to capitol reef national park. One bill that is not in today's agenda but has important park equities requires national cemeteries, including those administered by the national park service, to be open to visitors during federal holidays. What a novel concept. So family and friends can visit their loved ones during special remembrance days.
▶ 0:19:41Chair Daines: Senate bill 18 58 was referred to the committee on veterans affairs but as it mandates cemeteries mandated by the park service to remain open, specifically the custer national cemetery in montana. I want to flag this important bill for the parts review and their support. A quick housekeeping item. Without objection today's complete agenda as well as all written statements and letters that have been sent to the subcommittee will be included in the official record. Without objection. We have one witness today, Mr.
▶ 0:20:12Chair Daines: Caldwell, the associate director of park planning facilities and lands at the national park service. Before hearing your testimony, I will turn to co-chair king for his opening remarks.
▶ 0:20:21Sen. King: Thank you, senator daines, for your remarks and the bipartisan partnership we've developed over the years as we trade the gavel back and forth. I want to thank mike caldwell for testifying on the behalf of the park service. You are a familiar face in front of this committee and we welcome you back. I cannot come to this meeting quietly, however, while I believe our parks are under what can only be described as an attack.
▶ 0:20:49Sen. King: I want to first talk about staffing and funding levels for the parks. I have long criticized both democratic and republican administrations over the current underfunding and understaffing of our national parks. When our full committee held a hearing to examine the department of interior's budget request for fy 25 in may of 2024, the department provided us with the budget justification. Here it is. This is the budget justification for fy 25.
▶ 0:21:22Sen. King: It laid out policy priorities, funding levels, requests down to individual program units of the national park service with detailed information on staffing . For the park service alone this document is about 600 pages. For fiscal year 2026, when we had a hearing on the budget of the park service, here is what we were presented.
▶ 0:21:49Sen. King: A pitiful six-pages, one of which is blank. It is a five-page budget justification for the national park service compared to this. Nowhere in this document is there any reference to staffing levels, whether national park service wide or individual park units.
▶ 0:22:11Sen. King: I understand secretary burgum and I may have differences on some of the policies and staffing levels, but we cannot have a serious conversation about the issue if we don't have the data, if we don't have the data presented by the department over where the staffing cuts are, staffing -- are there increases? We don't have any of that data.
▶ 0:22:34Sen. King: We have a series of unserious funding requests for the park service, including massive cuts to operation staffing and maintenance. A decrease of 31% for operations. Almost one third. Cutting the park service operations budget by one third. 42% for construction and major maintenance cut by 42%.
▶ 0:23:01Sen. King: A decrease of 35 percent for construction planning. Let me give this graphically about where we are on staffing and the national parks. Here is where we are about the year 2000. You can see the red line is fte's in the national park service. It goes along fairly consistent level, then it starts to decline. Remember, I said I criticized both democratic and republican administrations.
▶ 0:23:30Sen. King: But look where it is now compared to here. We cut our staff by almost half. At the same time that visitation to the national parks is maintaining. Last year I think was a record. So, we have more people coming and less people to greet them, educate them, and present data about that national park. That is a shameful legacy. What really bothers me about this is, I can't figure out what the motivation is.
▶ 0:23:58Sen. King: The amount of money saved here is minuscule in relation to the national budget or the deficit, or whatever you want to compare it to. Yet, the damage is serious to probably the most popular federal program of all. Why target the national parks? It doesn't make any sense.
▶ 0:24:22Sen. King: I'm also worried and concerned about the effort to affect -- to whitewash our history. To rewrite history within the national park. Our history is 250 years. We have had triumphs. We have had great, prideful moments. We have had accomplishments, heroism, a lot to be proud of, relish, and learn about. But we also have some dark parts of our history.
▶ 0:24:54Sen. King: Like any history. We are not too excited about those, but they have to be addressed. Slavery, the internment of japanese americans during world war ii, segregation, the treatment of native americans in our history. Those are things we can't avoid. We can't forget. We don't want to forget. I recently finished a biography of the roman statesman cicero, and he had something that stuck with me.
▶ 0:25:22Sen. King: He said, to not know your history, to not know history is to live your whole life as a child. In other words, you are giving away a lot of human knowledge if you don't understand history. These chapters in our history, which we aren't proud of, we have to understand and learn from them and never repeat them. A couple of years ago I was at the airport in frankfurt, germany.
▶ 0:25:52Sen. King: I met a young man and we were chatting. He shared something that was amazing that touched exactly on what I'm talking about today. He said when he was in high school in germany he was required to go to a concentration camp. He was required to study the holocaust. Talk about a dark portion of the nation's history. We are doing just the opposite.
▶ 0:26:19Sen. King: We are telling people and young people who go to our parks we don't want to bother you about slavery. It was uncomfortable. It might make you feel uncomfortable. We need to learn from our history so that we learn from it and we don't repeat it.
▶ 0:26:36Sen. King: The administration is trying to rewrite history, and I -- when you compare it to germany where young people are required to learn about their dark history because they don't want to repeat it, because they want to learn something from it, and we should take a lesson from that. At fort polaski national monument in georgia, the department ordered the removal of the scourge back photograph.
▶ 0:27:05Sen. King: You probably all seen it of the slave with the awful scars on his back where he had been whipped. That was removed. For what purpose? Are we trying to erase the awful legacy of slavery, that it occurred? At harpers ferry the department targeted the removal of several displays on slavery in the abolitionist movement. Harpers ferry. That is why it was a monument.
▶ 0:27:35Sen. King: It was all about john brown and slavery and abolition. To remove a display about slavery at harpers ferry is like removing model rockets from cape kennedy. It is astonishing that they should do such a thing. The jamaica bay national wildlife refuge in new york, they removed signage which addressed japanese internment and the forced dispossession of native people from their traditional homelands.
▶ 0:28:04Sen. King: This does not contribute to our citizens' understanding of their history and appreciation of their history. It doesn't change the history. It doesn't change what happened. It only changes our citizens' understanding of those things. This is what happens under authoritarian governments. If you go back in history, authoritarian governments, one of the things they try to do is change their history, whitewash it, they change the story.
▶ 0:28:33Sen. King: After all that I want to appreciate the way senator daines and I have worked together and will continue to work together. I cannot sit quietly and to see america's best idea gutted for ideas that to me make absolutely no sense. Thank you, Mr. chairman.
▶ 0:28:55Chair Daines: Thank you for your remarks. There are senators who want to make opening statements today starting with senator barrasso.
▶ 0:29:04Sen. Barrasso: Thank you for holding this important hearing. I'm grateful, and grateful to comments that you made. I would like both leaders on the committee -- I would like to highlight one of my bills on the agenda, s. 290 making parks safer act. The department of the interior to make a plan to upgrade national park service 911 call centers with next-generation nine 11 technology. The technology enables call centers to receive text messages, images, videos in addition to phone calls.
▶ 0:29:36Sen. Barrasso: Our country's national parks receive hundreds of millions of visitors each year. In 2024 over 8 million visitors came to our national parks in wyoming. Folks traveled from across the world to enjoy the great american outdoors and for many families these memories last a lifetime. That's why it's vital that visitors have access to up-to-date safety and operational technology.
▶ 0:29:59Sen. Barrasso: Dispatch centers, they are biologists, supporting fire response strategies to mitigate damage to the land and ensure operational efficiency so that park rangers can do their jobs. This improves the speed and accuracy of emergency responders in locating and assisting callers in need of emergency assistance. These moments make a difference between visitors being able to receive quick care and continue their trip, or facing more serious medical complications.
▶ 0:30:27Sen. Barrasso: In the event of a natural disaster or technical issue, the call centers would be equipped to forward on 11 calls to a center that is able to address immediate visitor needs. Our public safety technology needs improvements in resources to ensure that visitors can continue to enjoy our national parks without worry. This is a bipartisan bill that ensures visitors who may need assistance can be reached in an accurate and timely manner.
▶ 0:30:55Sen. Barrasso: These much-needed updates will improve the operations of our national parks and protect the safety of visitors thanks to ranking member senator hickenlooper and senator hyde-smith.
▶ 0:31:07Chair Daines: Senator heinrich.
▶ 0:31:10Sen. Heinrich: Thank you, Mr. chairman. I want to thank you and co-chair angus king for convening today's hearing. Although I may not agree with every bill on the agenda, I am so grateful we have the chance to spend some time talking about an issue that literally touches every corner of this country, our national parks and the role they play in america's
▶ 0:31:41Sen. Heinrich: Incredible outdoor recreation economy. I look forward to working with you in the co-chair on the america the beautiful act. Every single day the public lands recreation economy contributes over $350 million a day to our nation's economic health. And that is not a typo.
▶ 0:32:01Sen. Heinrich: It's a testament to just how deeply americans value time outdoors and their nation's history and how crucial our public lands are to supporting job growth, supporting small businesses, rural communities. Our national parks and park system units are major contributors to the economic success that our public lands bring.
▶ 0:32:28Sen. Heinrich: Parks like glacier, white sands, arcadia are iconic for a reason. They are world-class destinations that draw millions of visitors from around the world. Today's hearing also highlight something equally important. Hundreds of smaller national parks, historic sites, seashores, monuments that are really the woven fabric of our nation's history and communities across the united states.
▶ 0:32:58Sen. Heinrich: Places like paygo national historic park in new mexico. These are places that make a real difference in people's lives. They preserve and celebrate our history, the good and the bad. They honor our heroes, they protect our wildlife and watersheds, and they offer outdoor classrooms for students and provide spaces for families to connect with the outdoors.
▶ 0:33:26Sen. Heinrich: They offer us opportunities to escape the pressures of everyday life and enjoy the outdoors. Unfortunately, recent national park service management directives from this administration, including the dramatic budget cuts that the co-chair referenced, major staffing reductions, proposals to divest hundreds of national park service sites, are a significant threat to the parts that americans know and love.
▶ 0:33:55Sen. Heinrich: Whats more, the administration announced that martin luther king day and juneteenth would no longer be fee-free days on our federal lands despite being federal holidays. Instead flag day will be fee -free. It's a coincidence that while flag day is not a federal holiday it is the president's birthday.
▶ 0:34:19Sen. Heinrich: Rest assured, folks, when this president is in the past, martin luther king day, juneteenth, will not only have fee-free national park admission, but they will occupy again incredible places of pride in our nations history. Thank you, Mr. chairman.
▶ 0:34:40Chair Daines: Co-chair king, I wanted to recognize the political astuteness of senator heinrich who recognized glacier park and arcadia park today.
▶ 0:34:52Sen. Heinrich: It was not by accident. If the senator would like more time I will yield to you.
▶ 0:34:57Chair Daines: Thank you. You have warmed our hearts. Senator padilla.
▶ 0:35:03Sen. Padilla: I want to associate myself with the comments from my colleague, senator king and senator heinrich. I want to also thank you for including in this hearing my joshua tree national expansion act which builds on the late senator feinstein's efforts to protect our cherished southern california desert.
▶ 0:35:32Sen. Padilla: The agenda combines two bills that previously passed to this committee by a voice vote. To expand the boundary of the joshua tree national park and what to rename the current cottonwood visitor center at joshua tree national park, as the senator dianne feinstein visitor center. Senator feinstein was known as a great protector of the california desert. It's truly part of her legacy.
▶ 0:35:59Sen. Padilla: Among her many accomplishments, she expended protections for nearly 10 million acres and transformed the joshua tree national monument into a national park. I can think of no better way to honor her legacy land by forever ensuring that visitors to joshua tree are reminded and taught about senator feinstein's enduring public lands legacy.
▶ 0:36:22Sen. Padilla: The bill would also expand the boundary of the national parks to include land that was once part of joshua tree national monument. In 2016, the national park service completed a comprehensive study that determined the land would be feasible to be included in the park.
▶ 0:36:41Sen. Padilla: The park service found that a boundary adjustment would allow for greater protection of existing habitat, restoration opportunities, and connectivity for wildlife, including bighorn sheep. It would expand opportunities and access to the park. Knowing the concerns and priority for some members of the committee and colleagues in the senate, let me say the following.
▶ 0:37:08Sen. Padilla: It's important to know the national park service, through their study, which included a robust public process, the park service found that any pockets of critical minerals are likely only present in negligible amounts and would not be economically viable for extraction. I'm not trying to prohibit development here. Just trying to be realistic and balance our coequal concerns.
▶ 0:37:37Sen. Padilla: Finally, another bill on the agenda of which I am a cosponsor, senator schiff has the rim of the valley corridor preservation act. This is an effort that started at the local level in the city of los angeles in the late 1990's. I was part of in a prior capacity. This bill would add the rim of the valley corridor to the existing santa monica mountains national recreation area and help protect some of the last well development species in the los angeles region.
▶ 0:38:06Sen. Padilla: Having grown up in the san fernando valley, I can tell you firsthand how to many communities are denied true access to the outdoors and the benefit of being in natural environments. For communities who can look up at the mountains but feel like it is a world away to try to get there, this bill would go a long way in improving on those conditions. It has strong support from local communities.
▶ 0:38:33Sen. Padilla: It has passed to the house with bipartisan support in the previous two congresses. And I hope we can lend our support here at this committee and as a senate this session. Thank you for including these important measures. I appreciate your time.
▶ 0:38:48Chair Daines: Thank you. Back in the old days when we would join the senate we would have a mentor assigned to us. A republican and democrat. Dianne feinstein was my democrat mentor. Thank you to the kind words about dianne, grateful for her service, and I'm grateful for what you are doing. All member statements made will be added to the hearing record. We will proceed to the testimony from senators not on this committee. We will start by recognizing senator kaine.
▶ 0:39:18Chair Daines: Welcome to the committee.
▶ 0:39:19Sen. Kaine: Thank you to our cochairs and committee members. It's a joy to join you and be here together with my friend, senator van hollen. I want to thank you for considering s. 270 eight, the appalachian trail centennial act. I am grateful for the bicameral, bipartisan collaboration with senator tillis on the senate side and with representatives lawler and buyer on the house side working together on this bill.
▶ 0:39:48Sen. Kaine: As many of you know I hiked the entire appalachian trail in virginia in 2019, 560 miles from harpers ferry to the tennessee/virginia border a few miles south of damascus, virginia. Some of you may not know that when you hiked the trail you don't use your own name. You use a trail name. If you hear anyone refer to me that way you will know how they met me.
▶ 0:40:15Sen. Kaine: The journey I undertook in 2019 gave me a deep, deep appreciation for the partnerships necessary to first initiate dream, construct, and maintain into the future this wonderful asset. One day, a friend who joined me on the hike who had been with me for a couple of days, together with his son, said come this really isn't a trail, it is a community. What do you mean by that? Who built that shelter? Who carried in the picnic table?
▶ 0:40:46Sen. Kaine: Who maintains the trail? Who drives the shuttle? Who runs the trail-site hostel? Who takes the photographs for national geographic and the instagram photos that get posted to give people a sense of this asset, even if they've never had a chance to visit it? It is a community. So, the bill that we've introduced is an effort to highlight and deepen the partnerships that have been necessary to have this trail be such a wonderful thing over its first 100 years.
▶ 0:41:15Sen. Kaine: The act highlights the essential work of the national park service, the forest service, state and local partners, the appalachian trail conservancy, volunteers, and trail clubs over the 200 mile length of the trail. The bill marks the atc's 100th anniversary, strengthens their stewardship model, and supports volunteers and volunteer organizations while preserving federal oversight.
▶ 0:41:40Sen. Kaine: The bill would establish "designated operational partners " to enhance collaboration on all of the national trails in the united states. Additionally, the legislation would address agencies to work with states and communities on land use recreation and donating surplus tools and equipment to volunteer groups to maintain the trail.
▶ 0:42:03Sen. Kaine: Senator tillis, who got his start in the public service in a local battle about a cycling trail in the suburbs of charlotte, we introduce this bill because we see firsthand what happens when public and private partners are aligned. When they are aligned trails thrive. I look forward to working with the committee, local communities, the national park service, key federal agencies, and all partners.
▶ 0:42:30Sen. Kaine: We have worked to get the bill to a place where it is now and we absolutely commit to work together on any necessary additional improvements that will enable this bill to successfully reach the president's desk. I'm happy to be with you today, thank you.
▶ 0:42:44Chair Daines: Senator van hollen.
▶ 0:42:46Sen. Van Hollen: Thank you to cochairs daines and king. Thank you for considering these bills. I will start with a bill not on the agenda briefly. The reason it is not is because this committee previously heard the bill. About this time last year it passed out of the committee and the senate come unanimously.
▶ 0:43:10Sen. Van Hollen: My friend senator kaine and the virginia delegation is on this bill, the chesapeake national recreation area bill. I urge my colleagues to work with us to pass that bill again. It was paired last year with senator wicker's bill on vicksburg. It really is an effort that has been years in the making, and we urge you to move forward this year, as we did last year, unanimously.
▶ 0:43:38Sen. Van Hollen: On the two bills that are before you know, they have also been driven by community efforts but also rise to the level we believed to have this kind of national park service participation. The first is the justice thurgood marshall national historic site establishment act, cosponsored by my colleague here on the senate, senator alsobrooks, and has been introduced in the house on a bipartisan basis.
▶ 0:44:08Sen. Van Hollen: Congressmen through may is the lead sponsor for congressman harris is also on that bill. It is bipartisan in the house. The bill would designate baltimore's historic school 103 where supreme court justice thurgood marshall went to school, as an nps-affiliated area.
▶ 0:44:30Sen. Van Hollen: Justice marshall is best known as the first african-american supreme court justice and lead counsel in the landmark brown versus the board of education case that ended racial segregation in public schools. His story, as we know, is one of perseverance, leadership, and commitment to protecting the rights of all americans.
▶ 0:44:48Sen. Van Hollen: That story inspired some of the local church groups in baltimore , and others, to come together to put together $50 million of nonfederal funding to help transform what had been ps 103 into a community center dedicated to thurgood marshall.
▶ 0:45:13Sen. Van Hollen: In 2019, senator cardin and I put forward legislation, a proposal, to ask for a review of this project to see if national park service participation could help elevate this important story. The study indicated that that would be a helpful come useful effort. That is why we have the bill that is before you.
▶ 0:45:42Sen. Van Hollen: It is important to understand that the affiliated area designation means, unlike when a new unit is established, the site will not transfer to the park service. The current owners will maintain responsibility for the property in line with federal standards, maximizing access, and I want to stress, minimizing the need for financial support from the federal government.
▶ 0:46:05Sen. Van Hollen: The other piece of legislation before you is the francis and jean new -- francis newlands memorial removal act which would seek to remove a memorial to francis newlands at chevy chase circle. For those of you here, if you drive out connecticut avenue crossing from D.C. into maryland, you go past chevy chase circle. The area around chevy chase circle was developed by francis newlands.
▶ 0:46:34Sen. Van Hollen: That is why this plaque was put in the circle in his honor at the time. The community on both sides of the circle want to remove this plaque. Why? Because he was a former senator from nevada. That is not why, but so you know he is not a marylander. He doesn't have maryland roots.
▶ 0:47:02Sen. Van Hollen: He was a white supremacist and worked to make sure that the development he built was inaccessible to blacks, jews, and working class family. The plaque was because he was the developer, but the development that he put together denied those groups access.
▶ 0:47:24Sen. Van Hollen: To give you a flavor of his position, at the 1912 democratic national committee and he proposed a "white plank" to the party's platform that, among other things, called for repealing the 15th amendment. Which is the amendment that gave african-american men the right to vote. Despite that, the inscription says, I quote, his statesmanship held true regard for the interests of all men.
▶ 0:47:55Sen. Van Hollen: Clearly, that inscription does not fit the individual that it is there to memorialize. As I said, the community organizations, montgomery county council, the D.C. chevy chase association, the maryland chevy chase village and town, they all voted unanimously to act to have this removed. And I looked at the administration's position here.
▶ 0:48:26Sen. Van Hollen: They are apparently opposing it for reasons rooted in partisan ideology or efforts to minimize the significance of historical figures. I would say that his name is on there because he was the developer for this community. A development that excluded individuals that we would all agree should never have been excluded. So, I hope the committee will see to it that the community's views are represented.
▶ 0:48:55Sen. Van Hollen: The community it should not have to forever see this memorial at chevy chase circle that is in memory of a person with this kind of record. I thank you all.
▶ 0:49:06Chair Daines: Thank you. Thank you to both senators were testifying today. Mr. caldwell, if you could join us at the witness table. Mr. caldwell, your full written testimony will be made part of the official hearing record. Mr. caldwell, you may proceed.
▶ 0:49:34Mr. Caldwell: Chairman daines, co-chair king, members of the subcommittee, thank you for the opportunity to present the department of the interior's views on 25 bills. I respectfully submit our full statements for the record and will summarize the department's views. Many of the bills under consideration have the department's support, consistent with executive order 14314, making america beautiful again by improving our national parks.
▶ 0:50:04Mr. Caldwell: These proposals would enhance national park service operations, improve park safety and accessibility, and strengthen management resources. S. 290, the making national parks safer act, would direct the mps to equip its emergency communications centers with next-generation 91 one technology. We welcome the opportunity to work with the subcommittee to create a path to help the mps meet the goals of this initiative. S.
▶ 0:50:34Mr. Caldwell: 601 would remove deed restrictions from an nps parcel transfer to the city of paducah, kentucky, allowing the city to sell or repurpose the property to meet community needs. The department supports this bill. S. 1088 would authorize memorial on the national mall in either area one or the reserve to honor the women who worked on the homefront during world war ii. The department supports establishing this commemorative work.
▶ 0:51:02Mr. Caldwell: The national capital memorial advisement committee reviewed s. 1088 and devise the memorial sponsor to work with the mps on a site selection study. The department concurs and is committed to supporting that process. S. 1353 and 2546 would extend authorities to modify or establish memorials in the district of columbia with the U.S. army's second infantry division and ems professionals.
▶ 0:51:33Mr. Caldwell: We support these extensions. S. 1377 directs the department to maintain a genetically diverse course occurred in theodore roosevelt national park and develop a cost management plan that protects the herd and park resources. S.
▶ 0:51:51Mr. Caldwell: 2308 the patriots park act reflects the president's initiative to enact america first entry fee policies across the national park system. The restoring truth and sanity to american history act aligns with secretary's order 3431 to ensure mps sites reflect our nation's extraordinary heritage and record of advancing liberty and prosperity. S.
▶ 0:52:18Mr. Caldwell: 2970 would authorize the use of off-highway vehicles in designated areas of capitol reef national park and require the mps to adopt the state of utah's definition. The department supports the goal of expanding recreational opportunities at the park and would welcome the opportunity to work with the subcommittee on technical amendments.
▶ 0:52:41Mr. Caldwell: Regarding 858, the herschel woody williams national medal of honor monument location act, the department looks forward to building the proposed monument in a place of national honor. Regarding s. 11 35, the bonneville shoreline trail feasibility study, the department recommends that the bill be amended to remove mps as the agency responsible for conducting the study as usda is better suited to lead.
▶ 0:53:10Mr. Caldwell: There are several bills under consideration that the department opposes. S. 573 conflicts with the secretary's order 3424 which designated the name of mount mckinley in alaska. S.
▶ 0:53:26Mr. Caldwell: 1926 conflict with an order that directs agencies to refuel or -- repeal or -- plastic availability without strong scientific or statutory justification.
▶ 0:53:42Mr. Caldwell: 2369 conflicts with executive order directing the department to preserve and restore memorials removed or altered in recent years due to partisan ideology and efforts to minimize the significance of historical figures. S. 2708 the appalachian trail centennial act, raises concern by potentially altering the intent and implementation of the national trail system.
▶ 0:54:06Mr. Caldwell: Other bills on the subcommittee's agenda would establish or expand mps units or direct new studies, all of which would require additional resources. The mps remains focused on addressing critical needs within its existing portfolio. For this reason the department opposes 1777, 178 0, 2270.
▶ 0:54:35Mr. Caldwell: The department takes a position of do not oppose on -- Mr. chairman, this concludes my testimony. I'm happy to answer any questions you may have.
▶ 0:54:47Chair Daines: Senate bill 290, making national parks safer act. The beauty and attraction of many of our national parks is the ability to get away from the world. Hiking beautiful trails, which both the co-chair and myself have done in our national parks, fishing in streams far removed from highways and city lights. However, that means when an emergency happens it is difficult, if not impossible, to contact emergency services.
▶ 0:55:18Chair Daines: Senate bill 290 requires the park service to develop a plan to install next-generation 911 systems in consultation with state and local officials. My question is, how can this bill and next-generation technology, like the cell and a satellite service at t-mobile recently deployed in montana, be used to increase emergency services while also protecting the national beauty and getting away from it all experience we
▶ 0:55:49Chair Daines: Seek when going to our parks?
▶ 0:55:51Mr. Caldwell: The bill would improve safety by upgrading our communications technology, as you identified, we rely on during emergencies with better location data and better situational awareness as to where folks are enjoying their parks. These improvements are largely invisible to visitors, so they strengthen the emergency response without deterring the park's natural beauty or history.
▶ 0:56:20Mr. Caldwell: Additionally, it may lead to improved responsiveness or reports of potential resource damage.
▶ 0:56:26Chair Daines: Thanks, Mr. caldwell. As I discussed in my opening statement, senate bill 1858 requires the park service to keep the 14 national cemeteries you administered open during federal holidays. This has been a persistent issue in montana, where the custer national cemetery has been closed on important remembrance days, like christmas and memorial day itself.
▶ 0:56:56Chair Daines: My question is, do you agree that national cemeteries should remain open so family and friends of service can visit their loved ones and allow for patriotic activities, such as wreaths across america to honor fallen service members and warriors on important holidays?
▶ 0:57:17Mr. Caldwell: Yes, senator. Thank you for the question. We are proud stewards of 14 national cemeteries across the system, as you pointed out. Our national park service cemeteries point out the sites be maintained in a solemn, tranquil, dignified way as places of remembrance with places of access and general maintenance practices designed to support visitation throughout the year, including holidays.
▶ 0:57:45Mr. Caldwell: While staffing and site-specific operations may vary, our policy and practices are to keep the sacred places open so families can pay their respects whenever it is most convenient to them.
▶ 0:57:56Chair Daines: Thank you. Senate bill 416 directs the park service to expand the martian billings rockefeller national historic park in vermont to include the king farm. Let the record show, there is no relationship between the senator and the king in the bill.
▶ 0:58:22Chair Daines: You might be wondering why a senator from montana is asking a question on a park in vermont, however frederick billings, who this park owners, is the namesake of billings, montana, the largest city in montana. Mr. billings never lived in montana. His work on the northern pacific railroad and investments in montana helped grow the town to become the county seat, billings, montana of yellowstone county. Mr.
▶ 0:58:50Chair Daines: Billings was an avid conservationist and played a role in the conservation of yellowstone national park. The question is, how does the inclusion of king farm affect the mission of this park and help tell the story of america's prominent businessmen and conservationists?
▶ 0:59:07Mr. Caldwell: Wow I am certainly not prepared to answer specifics on the marsh-billings expansion bill, I note the department's position is to take care of the existing portfolio on our national parks system with existing resources we have at hand. Having seen the king farm, I can see why you are proud of the story that is represented.
▶ 0:59:36Mr. Caldwell: At this point I'm happy to get back to the committee when it comes to the specifics of that legislation.
▶ 0:59:42Chair Daines: It is the town where my mom and dad grew up. My dad married the girl next door in billings, montana. It's my understanding that senate bill 13 77 the theodore national park wildhorse protection act, requires the park service to maintain a genetically diverse herd of wild horses. Under the bill the population of forces should be no fewer than 150. I know how hard species management can be.
▶ 1:00:12Chair Daines: Montana deals with it a lot from the bison management to the grizzlies and wolves outside of our parks, it should be managed by our state. These issues can have strong opinions. It's important you work with local stakeholders and governors before making major decisions. My question, could you tell how this bill helps give the park service and manage wild horses and what you have done to manage them in park?
▶ 1:00:36Mr. Caldwell: S. 1377 helps by providing explicit congressional guidance to maintain a healthy, genetically diverse population while insuring that horse management remains consistent with protecting the park's natural resources requiring us to develop a cost effective management plan, a genetic benchmark, and formalize the monitoring and reporting that we have already conducted.
▶ 1:01:06Mr. Caldwell: It provides a clearer congressional parameter and greater predictability for both the park and --. Thank you.
▶ 1:01:11Chair Daines: I will turn out to co-chair king.
▶ 1:01:15Sen. King: Thank you, Mr. chairman. Mr. caldwell, do you here may describe my concern about the elimination of historical references throughout the park system? For example, the photograph at the polasky park. There are many other examples. Where are these decisions being made? Who is making the decisions? Are they being made at the park level, here in washington?
▶ 1:01:45Sen. King: Who, specifically, says, get rid of that photograph in florida or the slavery reference at harpers ferry? I would like to know where in the department that decision is being made and by whom.
▶ 1:01:56Mr. Caldwell: I appreciate your question, senator. I don't have that information. Nor have I been part of that decision making, but I'm happy to follow-up with your office and committee.
▶ 1:02:08Sen. King: I would appreciate if you would take that question for the record and give us a written response for the record. It worries me that these are significant decisions. There should be some transparency in terms of how they are being made, who is making them, what the criteria is. If it is being made at the local level. Those things. Please, supply them for the record. As you know, I have concerns about staffing. How were the decisions made -- we have a hiring freeze.
▶ 1:02:38Sen. King: We fired probationary employees. We had people take the early fork in the road. Has there been any analysis on a park by park basis or on the overall system of a staffing target? I'm looking for data. I'm looking for support for a decision that frankly looks rather arbitrary.
▶ 1:02:59Mr. Caldwell: I appreciate that question. I don't have the details in terms of fte number --
▶ 1:03:06Sen. King: My question is, are there details?
▶ 1:03:10Mr. Caldwell: I will relay that question to the department to provide you with those responses. I think, as across the national park system, your interaction with superintendents across the country, we rely on their expertise to meet the challenges. I think we are confident that the national park service will continue to deliver the mission it is responsible to deliver.
▶ 1:03:34Sen. King: It is hard for me to believe that when you reduce the staff by one third from an already diminished level you will be able to deliver the same level of services. That is a nice idea, but this is -- meeting with park visitors isn't something that you can conjure out of thin air. What I'm after is, was there any analysis done of a staffing target? If so, how was the target established? What is the data background? What research was done? That is what I'm looking for.
▶ 1:04:06Sen. King: The same thing on the budget. Giving us a six-page budget, one of which is blank, as opposed to 600 pages doesn't give us anything to work with. We really need -- I guess my question is, are we going to get a serious budget document before the appropriations process is complete for 2026? 2027?
▶ 1:04:31Mr. Caldwell: I am unaware of the schedule for the budget, but I will certainly relay that question as well.
▶ 1:04:38Sen. King: Again, we want to be partners here. We are all on the same team. We are all trying to serve the public as effectively as we can, but we can't do our job unless you do your job. Not you, but the department in terms of serious analysis, numbers, background, targets, effects, impacts. Has any research been done on what the impact will be on a certain reduction on a particular park?
▶ 1:05:06Sen. King: I'm looking for a lot more data and support for these decisions. In terms of these decisions about -- I would call it whitewashing our history -- I want to know who's making those decisions. I appreciate that. Thank you, Mr. caldwell.
▶ 1:05:23Chair Daines: Co-chair king, thank you. Senator hoeven, my condolences. It was a tough day in fargo on saturday.
▶ 1:05:34Sen. Hoeven: Understatement. I was looking to a rematch.
▶ 1:05:41Chair Daines: We could have a brief moment of silence if you would like.
▶ 1:05:46Sen. Hoeven: I've had a few between then and now. At this point I'm just going to wish the bobcats the best.
▶ 1:05:51Chair Daines: You are gracious. For a team that never loses, it is tough.
▶ 1:05:57Sen. Hoeven: Thank you to the chairman and the ranking member for holding this hearing. I really appreciate it. And director caldwell, thank you for being here. Appreciate that very much, as well. And please the subcommittee is considering a number of bills. Including s. 13 77, the theodore roosevelt national park wild horses protection act.
▶ 1:06:20Sen. Hoeven: Horses have long been living, breathing part of the theater roosevelt national park in north dakota. They are keyed to the visitor experience -- key to the visitor experience. It dates to the early ranching era of the badlands, long before the park was formally established. Today, the horses maintain the historic scene that reflects what theodore roosevelt himself would have seen during his time in the badlands and the dakota territory.
▶ 1:06:50Sen. Hoeven: These were very formative years. They shaped the character and conservation ethic of our nation's 20 sixth president. Unfortunately, there have been multiple attempts over the years, including as recently as 2022, to remove horses from the park. Each one has been met with overwhelming -- I mean overwhelming opposition from the public.
▶ 1:07:15Sen. Hoeven: That is why we work to craft balance, durable solution providing permanent protection for horses. Under our bill, the national park service is required to maintain a healthy herd of not fewer than 150 horses, as the chairman referenced, which I appreciate. Aligned with the population levels needed for long-term genetic viability.
▶ 1:07:40Sen. Hoeven: This approach reflects the broad support among those who value the heritage of the park and the herd's ties to the legacy of theodore roosevelt. My colleague from virginia, senator kaine, joined me in introducing this legislation. It is bipartisan legislation. Senator kaine knows the importance of wild ponies. For example, -- hopefully I will get these names close to right.
▶ 1:08:08Sen. Hoeven: She could take island and azteca island. -- you can correct me. Federal lands in his own state. I appreciate his willingness to partner with us. I look forward to working with my colleagues to advance it.
▶ 1:08:29Sen. Hoeven: So, while we appreciate the national park service's recent commitment to maintain horses at theodore roosevelt national park, my legislation aims to resolve any uncertainty by directing the park service to maintain a sustainable and genetically viable herd at the park on a permanent basis. My first question is, do you believe this bill will help ensure the horses at theater roosevelt national are protected going forward?
▶ 1:08:58Mr. Caldwell: The department agrees with that, sir.
▶ 1:08:59Sen. Hoeven: Second, does establishing in statute a requirement for healthy, sustainable herd give the clear direction necessary to manage the horses for the long-term?
▶ 1:09:10Mr. Caldwell: The department's support of this, one of the primary reasons is that congressional directive.
▶ 1:09:17Sen. Hoeven: Thank you for the support. Thank you for being here. Thanks to the regional director who was recently with me. I worked with him on elk issues, and we got to a tremendous solution during my governor days. For more than a decade it has served at the park well, the state well, our country well. I appreciate his willingness to understand the importance of these issues and work with us on them. Thanks to you as well, director.
▶ 1:09:47Chair Daines: Senator murkowski.
▶ 1:09:52Sen. Murkowski: . Thank you. I want to thank the cochairs this morning for the hearing and for including a couple of my bills on the calendar for today. One of them is 1353 to expand the second division memorial and washington, D.C. and the other is s. 573 to designate denali as denali.
▶ 1:10:20Sen. Murkowski: First, 1353, I'm pleased to see the park service offer supportive testimony for this. This is really an extremely simple bil. It relates to the second division memorial. I thank you for working with us to help shape and refine the legislation.
▶ 1:10:46Sen. Murkowski: What we do here is extend the authorization to modify the second division memorial included in the nda in 2018. For a host of different reasons things got delayed. Covid. The seven-your initial period allowed by the commemorative works act -- seven-your initial period allowed by the commemorative works act wasn't enough time so we provided an extension for the bill.
▶ 1:11:15Sen. Murkowski: The modifications come at zero cost to the taxpayers. But it effectively honors those who have given their lives in recent conflicts, such as afghanistan and iraq. I was in anchorage last week, and I met with the chair of the second division memorials foundation. They have been working on this initiative for a decade plus now . That would install this very simple bench on this memorial.
▶ 1:11:48Sen. Murkowski: I have a couple of letters of support to add to the record for the hearing, including Mr. thomson's statement. I ask unanimous consent to be added at the appropriate place.
▶ 1:11:59Chair Daines: So approved.
▶ 1:12:05Sen. Murkowski: This is something alaskans feel very strongly about. And that is the name of north america's tallest peak, a mountain that we look to really with almost reverence.
▶ 1:12:27Sen. Murkowski: When I fly into ted stevens international airport in anchorage, before we even get close to landing, people are looking out the window to see if they will catch a glimpse of denali today. When the mountain is out, we talk about it. We talk about it in a way -- have you seen the mountain today? Have you seen the great one today?
▶ 1:12:59Sen. Murkowski: Well, my friends, denali translates as the great one. What more fitting name for such an incredible peak? On the first day of his second term, president issued an executive order entitled restoring names that honor american greatness. That order included the renaming of north america's tallest peak from its traditional name of denali to mount mckinley.
▶ 1:13:31Sen. Murkowski: Again, as I say, we have called it, this mountain, denali in alaska for decades. Generations. They have called it denali for millennia. We are trying to trace exactly how far back it goes, the dialects might be different, but it effectively keeps coming back to what we named the great one.
▶ 1:14:04Sen. Murkowski: Denali is just that. To me, this is about respecting the original stewards of the land who gave this fitting name. I'm not surprised by the testimony we received from the department today, but I would encourage the administration to re-examine the position on the bill.
▶ 1:14:26Sen. Murkowski: The monk died decade c1 it is a bipartisan issue in the state going back to 1975. Our state government first petitioned the federal government to align with the state definition of denali.
▶ 1:14:46Sen. Murkowski: This is something that has been going on for decades here and this is nothing to denigrate president mckinley and his reputation and contributions he has provided to this country. He is absolutely worthy of recognition but it is often pointed out that he was never to the state of alaska.
▶ 1:15:15Sen. Murkowski: Whether as president or even as an individual. And so as we think about ways to show tribute to his important legacy I think it is important to note that by restoring denali to its rightful name, mckinley's legacy is not erased or diminished in any way, it lives on through numerous sites and
▶ 1:15:46Sen. Murkowski: Tributes, you have the mckinley national memorial, the national mckinley birthplace memorial, the mckinley presidential library museum, you have statues in ohio, hawaii, illinois, among others. This is nothing against our former president and the contributions he has made.
▶ 1:16:10Sen. Murkowski: It is truly focused on recognizing the original stewards of the land and the designation they have given it. I have just one quick question for Mr. caldwell today. Within a secretarial order that came out, it directs the board of geographic names to reversed in ollie's name, as I mentioned.
▶ 1:16:36Sen. Murkowski: It also requires and I'm reading directly here, appropriate doi officials to work with alaska native entities and state and local organizations to pursue adopting names for landmarks to honor the history and culture of the alaska people. That was included as part of the secretarial order.
▶ 1:17:00Sen. Murkowski: And looking past the fact that did not a renaming is contrary to the direction to honor the history and culture of alaskan people, can you give me any update as to how this aspect of the order is being carried out in alaska? Who in the department may be engaged in this objective?
▶ 1:17:19Mr. Caldwell: Thank you, senator, for your question. I don't have that information today but I will relate your question and get back to you.
▶ 1:17:27Sen. Murkowski: Thank you. I have been asked by others and I haven't had the answer to them. If you could help us out with that, I would appreciate it. Mr. chairman and Mr. cochairman, thank you for making sure these important measures are on the docket as well as so many others. I appreciate it. >> senator murkowski, thank you.
▶ 1:17:54Sen. Murkowski: If there are no more questions for today, members may submit follow-up written questions before 6:00 p.m. Tomorrow. The hearing record will be open for one week. I want to thank Mr. caldwell for his time and his testimony today. This hearing is now adjourned. [gavel] [captioning performed by the national captioning institute, which is responsible for its caption content and accuracy. Visit ncicap.org]