▶ 0:18:57>> the subcommittee will come to order. Today's hearing marks my 22nd as chairman or ranking member, and as senator king and I always say, we are cochairs of this committee, no matter where the gavel falls, we have seen it go both ways. We are cochairs of this committee. I want to thank my co-chair, senator king, for serving with me for nine years, it's truly been a pleasure.
▶ 0:19:26I also want to thank senator hirono, who served as my first ranking member and former chairman men caskey -- former chairman markowski for entrusting the gavel to me. Our parks and public lands have a special place in my own heart. If you come to my office, you will see the yellowstone conference room, that is not named after the yellowstone tv show, just to be clear. It is named after yellowstone national park.
▶ 0:19:56It's been a privilege to serve in this role for so many years. On today's agenda we have 25 bills, many of which are bipartisan or have the support from the state delegation. I am excited to hear more about senate bill 3524, the american battlefield protection program, led by mccormick and -- senators mccormick and kaine.
▶ 0:20:26It extends the mission of the program to include the french and indian war in the mexican-american war. Under current law the battlefield program focuses on the civil war and revolutionary war. Expanding the program will help preserve importance -- important historical sites and helper member those who lost their lives fighting on american soil. However I do believe we will expand the program to include the french-indian war and mexican-american war, we should also look at expanding the goal to include the indian wars.
▶ 0:20:59150th of the battle of the little big one last month, it occurred in montana, and the one 50th anniversary of the naz peers wars coming up next year, it is time to remember those important battles and preserve them for future generations. Montana is home to numerous important metal fields from the great wars. I look forward to working with the department of the interior of this committee as will the senator mccormick to include the indian wars in this important bill.
▶ 0:21:34We also have senate bill 34 56, hr 183, the law enforcement officer and firefighter recreation pass act. To allow free access to national park units to our first responders. I look forward to hearing from the department on the ways we can continue to support those who put their lives in danger everyday.
▶ 0:21:55We will also hear from the park service on a number of bills led by my colleagues, who include senate bill 1774 related to mammoth cave national park, senate bill 2498 related to park service leasing, senate bill 2767, the gateway partnership act, senate bill 2887, the route 66 national historic trail designation act, senate bill 2930 sin3 designating --
▶ 0:22:272933 designating a playground in park river gorge. 2969 related to off highway vehicles and mbs units to be over 3501, the chalamet national area act. . The endless mountains national heritage every act. Senate bill 4399, the geese house act.
▶ 0:22:554767, to extend the african-american civil rights network, and finally hr 2306, to extend the adams memorial commission. First 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 hearing record. Without objection.
▶ 0:23:21Finally before I turn to my co-chair, I want to reiterate the need to get are bipartisan america the beautiful act to the president's desk as soon as possible. We have made great progress and we are at the 5 yard line. We have a bipartisan and bicameral bill ready to go. A lot of the heavy lifting has been done. We are working to get that final day four through.
▶ 0:23:47With only a few workweeks left, this congress, I strongly believe we need this bill on the floor as possible. We have one witness today. Mr. charles cuvelier. Associate director of the visitor and resource protection at the national park service. I will now turn to co-chair king for his opening remarks. >> this is a tough moment because it is the end of -- it is in fact our last rodeo.
▶ 0:24:18Working with you has been a pleasure and a joy. One of the honors of my service in the senate. Your commitment to the national parks is unquestionable. Your role in the great american outdoors act and other america the beautiful act is the greatest impact on a national park since I think the mission at some 60 years ago. -- act some 60 years ago. What a pleasure it's meant to work with you. If only we were in charge of everything around here. Who knows what we could get done?
▶ 0:24:47>> senator mccormick can make a motion. [laughter] there we go. >> we have different ways of enjoying our national parks. I have visited I think 17 or 18
▶ 0:27:341 ---- the treatment of native americans as much a part of that history has the courage innovation and natural beauty our parks commemorate. The national park service has long trusted visitors with the truth and trusted americans to handle the complexity of our past. It's important we continue to do so.
▶ 0:27:56I look forward to hearing from witnesses today particularly the senators were here and discussing how we can continue to meet our response ability to the national park system. I do want to conclude my opening statement by reiterating the great work that you have done, how much I appreciate it and how much I will miss working with you in the next congress. >> those are kind words. Thank you. The feeling is very mutual.
▶ 0:28:26Another are senators who want to make an opening statement. -- I know there are senators who want to make an opening statement. I recognize senator mccormick. >> thank you. This year we celebrate our nation's 250th anniversary. What an incredible milestone. These sites stand as a testament to our shared heritage as an inspiration for a brighter future ahead.
▶ 0:28:56They preserve the national beauty and historic legacy of our country's history. My home state of pennsylvania is home to more than 20 national park sites. These sites are such an important reminder of where we as a country came from and also where we are headed. That is why I am so excited to speak today in support of two pieces of legislation introduced which will help our country continue to share its story.
▶ 0:29:26The american battlefield production program, the amendment act of 2025, the american battlefield production program is a program administered by the national park service to support community driven storage ship -- stewardship in sites of armed conflict on american soil. This will reauthorize a program through 2035. This program have provided grants to sites.
▶ 0:30:01I would like to thank the senators who have sponsored this bill. It's got great support. The endless mountains heritage area act which I introduced with senator fetterman, the senior senator from pennsylvania, this bill will designate pennsylvania's endless mountains region which includes bradford, 's, susquehanna and wyoming counties as a national heritage area. This region is rich in history and national beauty.
▶ 0:30:31It's believed george washington's responsible for referring to this region as endless mountains. Outdoor and heritage tourism support nearly 2000 jobs and generates more than $166 million in annual economic activity. Designation as a national heritage area that would increase national visibility, attract more visitors, on lock resources and generate up to $350 million in in economic activity annually.
▶ 0:30:59I'm grateful to senator federman and congressman denby as her for introducing a companion version in the house of representatives. Think it to our cochairmen senator daines and senator king for including these two bills. Look forward to working with you to get these bills passed out of committee and to the full senate for consideration. Thank you. >> senator mccormick, thank you. All member statements will be added to the hearing record.
▶ 0:31:47>> I have introduced the frankie evans act for the past several congress is first on the house and now in the senate. My colleague senator cramer introduced at same legislation for even longer and is the lead cosponsor of the bill along with senators schumer and wyden. The purpose of the bill is simple, to direct the secretary of defense to authorize adding the names of 74 sailors who died aboard the U.S.
▶ 0:32:12Frankie evans during the vietnam war to the vietnam war memorial wall. Once authorize the department of interior and national park service in conjunction with the vietnam veterans memorial fund could add the names to the wall.
▶ 0:32:27The sailors aboard the frankie evans like thousands of others participated in combat operations after which they were directed to depart vietnam waters and participate in a multilateral training exercise. During one of the evening scum of the ship was involved in a catastrophic accident with an australian vessel. Essentially cut in half within a matter of minutes. 74 sailors died in the process.
▶ 0:33:00The sailors were called by the nation into service, a combination of officers and volunteers and draftees who gave the same measure of sacrifice as every other service member listed on the vietnam but because their sacrifice occurred in an exercise outside of a particular line drawn in the water, a line drawn only after the war, they were denied the same level of recognition from our nation as everyone else on
▶ 0:33:32That wall. There was concern raised about the space on the wall and whether additional names could fit on the wall in chronological order. While they could not be fit on the wall as a blog, they can be added to blank spaces on the monument without any additional modifications. Compromise completely acceptable to the frankie evans family members of those with -- of those who died.
▶ 0:34:01Tim as a young child lost his father aboard the frankie evans. So many other families are deeply devoted to this issue all around the country. I also would like to speak briefly in support of my other bill before the subcommittee today.
▶ 0:34:20The bay area rich national scenic trail visibility study act which I introduced to conduct a feasibility study on designating the bay area rich trail as a national scenic trail. Thus kickstarting a multiyear process. The bay area rich trail gives visitors the bay area and residents the opportunity to enjoy more than 500 miles.
▶ 0:34:51Including parks and preserves. With 415 miles already complete, the trail connects more than 75 parks and open spaces and provides recreational opportunities for hikers, cyclists, tourists and more across the nine bay area counties. Providing access to grassland, marsh, river, and forest ecosystems. Providing recognition would help preserve it for future generations.
▶ 0:35:19The bill does not add new funding and the legislation's widely supported by local communities and every member of the bay congressional delegation. Again, I thank you for your consideration of these bills and the opportunity to speak. I want to join you and the ranking member, thank you for your service in the senate. We will miss you. It's an honor serving with you. Thank you. >> thank you for your great remarks and thanks for your testimony.
▶ 0:35:56Mr. cuvelier. Your full written testimony will be made part of the official hearing record. You can always tell those from the park service, you give yourselves away and the hat says it all. Your written testimony will be made part of the official record as I mentioned and if you are ready, you may proceed. >> good afternoon.
▶ 0:36:28Chairman daines, ranking member king, members of the subcommittee, thank you for the opportunity to present a department of interior's views on the 24 bills on today's agenda. I respectfully submit the full statement for the record and will now summarize the department's views. Many of the bills under consideration today have the departments will support and would give us the opportunity to continue our commitment to working directly with local communities, businesses and tribes to ensure their needs are understood and addressed effectively.
▶ 0:36:56The geese house act would assume stewardship responsibilities within the parking preserve. But historic route 66 corridor is a national historic trail and I would strongly supported by surrounding local communities.
▶ 0:37:18Hr 5254 one authorize -- would authorize private events and gateway art national park. This authority would strengthen the foundation's ability to support the park while giving the mbs time to evaluate how exclusive after hours use of visitor center functions and practice.
▶ 0:37:38The department supports the law enforcement officer and firefighter recreation pass act which would provide a free annual national parks pass to federal, state, tribal or local law enforcement officers and firefighters. The department shares congress' commitment.
▶ 0:37:59Consistent with the committee focused approach, the department does not object to the emergency egress act which would establish an additional egress route and direct response to community needs. The department would like to work with the sponsors on several bills that require additional refinement to ensure effective implementation and aligning with existing authorities.
▶ 0:38:21The department supports extending from 2020 to 3035, however we do not support increasing the cost share from 50 to 75 percent as the long-standing 50-50 match reflects an equitable partnership and shared responsibility that has contributed to the program success. The department does not support the proposed studies in section three due to current resource constraints.
▶ 0:38:52While we appreciate the long-term lease investment act, the bill drafted good permit repeated extensions without clear limits, reducing transparency and limiting opportunities for new businesses to compete for leases. We welcome the opportunity to strengthen the bill implementation framework.
▶ 0:39:14The department supports the intent of the motor vehicle use within system units act which would apply laws to roads within the national park service units including authorizing off-road vehicles were permitted under state law. We would like to work with the subcommittee to ensure the bill language can be implemented as intended. Needed contracting flexibility to accelerate wildfire recovery in the grand canyon.
▶ 0:39:43Additional provisions to raise small dollar amount thresholds which would further streamline recovery work and allow the national park service to move more efficiently on time sensitive repairs. We would like to offer additional amendments.
▶ 0:39:58The department supports the adams memorial commission and conquer with the recommendation to continue evaluating a broad range of potential sites rather than selecting a specific location at this time. We recommend congress defer action on the watershed scenic river study act and heritage act until the mps completes the related studies underway for each of those bills.
▶ 0:40:28There are bills for which the department defers to appropriate authorities. Consistent with other bills, we defer to congress on whether to ask on the authorization of the african-american civil rights that worked out for an additional 10 years. For the uss frankie evans I, we defer to the department of war.
▶ 0:40:59There are several bills under consideration the department does not support. Focusing limited resources, including those that would expand current work boundaries, creating new park units, requiring complete new studies. Mr. chairman, this concludes my testimony and I would be pleased to answer any questions subcommittee may have.
▶ 0:41:26Chair Daines: Thank you. My first question is regarding senate bill 3524. The american battlefield protection program amendment act. The battlefield trust has helped preserve the most iconic battlefield in america. The question is could you speak to the importance of the program to preserving our country's history and the need to extend the program? Cost -- >> thank you. Appreciate that.
▶ 0:41:55Chair Daines: The program leverages the public/private partnerships to protect important sites that we can't protect the public ownership thereby saving taxpayers millions in acquisition and management costs. The program working to our partners has led to the survey of more than 650 battlefields. Supporting over $22 million in preservation efforts. Since 1992, the program has awarded more than 13,000 planning grants.
▶ 0:42:26Chair Daines: Totaling $4.3 million to help protect more than 100 battlefield in 42 states and territories. Very successful.
▶ 0:42:32Chair Daines: So if we look forward, if it is signed into law, how would senate bill 3524 expand the current mission of the battlefield program?
▶ 0:42:48Mr. Cuvelier: Expanding amounts to collaboration through public/private partnerships. We have strengthened stewardship in local communities. And example is montana. A grant to support national registered documentation. Outside of montana an example is in connecticut where the program provided tribal nations documenting battlefields.
▶ 0:43:16Mr. Cuvelier: There are opportunities we can always expand on through those partnerships.
▶ 0:43:20Chair Daines: Back home in montana, the national park service administers a little big horn battlefield and bear part battlefield. They are absolutely beautiful reservations. They were all very important battles in the history of our country.
▶ 0:43:42Chair Daines: How could the park service better partner with the armed forces and the tribes and local communities to tell the stories of these battles as well as others from the indian wars?
▶ 0:44:00Mr. Cuvelier: I shared before it is all about partnerships and working with interested parties and developing those relationships related to that 50% share. There are opportunities when those parties come to us through the programs and processes we have put together.
▶ 0:44:17Chair Daines: I want to shift gears and talk for a moment about hr 2306. The adams commission. It extends the adams memorial commission for an additional seven years and locates the memorial in presidents park.
▶ 0:44:39Chair Daines: Despite john adams and the entire adams family playing a pivotal role in the founding of our country and its formative years, there's still no official memorial to him and his family in D.C. what is the current status of the adams memorial commission and what progress have they made since authorization 25 years ago dating back to 2001?
▶ 0:45:07Mr. Cuvelier: Thank you for your question. My understanding is the adams memorial commission has been methodically setting up the organizational structure and infrastructure necessary for the establishment of the adams memorial. They developed a website and hired a consultant. Work stopped when the authority expired. Once the authorities extended, the commission plans to move forward with establishing the memorial.
▶ 0:45:33Chair Daines: Do you know what is the site identified in the bill currently used for and does the park service believe there's a suitable alternative location for the memorial?
▶ 0:45:46Mr. Cuvelier: The site that's been identified in the bill is in the northeast corner of the elapse and it is a visitor pavilion at that location currently. The ellipse is between the white house and constitution avenue. It is a great cross access of the mall which generally extend from the united states capital, from the white house or the jefferson memorial.
▶ 0:46:10Mr. Cuvelier: We don't have preferred site but we would recommend the memorial sponsor follow the process and conduct a thorough site assessment. There's a number of potential ideal locations for the adams memorial and a site selection process would consider the appropriateness of each location including visitor accessibility, security and operational needs.
▶ 0:46:44Chair Daines: Thank you. I want to yield to my co-chair for his questions.
▶ 0:46:46Co-Chair King: Thank you. I looked at your testimony. You used the term limited resources 10 times in that filing. And it talked about -- the bill was opposed because of the limited resources. In the concluding portion of your verbal testimony, you use the term limited resources.
▶ 0:47:16Co-Chair King: I understand that. The problem I have is those limited resources are not limited by accident or act of god, but by deliberate choices made by this administration. Between january of last year and now, the national park service has lost a quarter of its permanent workforce, 4000 employees.
▶ 0:47:42Co-Chair King: This has been through buyouts and the fork in the road letter and early retirements, reorganization. And on top of that the administration cut park service construction by 42%. Service is short of resources. No question. That's exactly what this administration has asked for and created.
▶ 0:48:07Co-Chair King: The scarcity is not an accident or a function of a tight budget but a predictable result of the choices this administration made with budgeting and staffing. And by the way -- these comments are not directed to you. I understand you are a career employee and not responsible for these decisions but they are directed to the national park service more generally and department of the interior.
▶ 0:48:33Co-Chair King: To come before this committee and say that we cannot do x, y, z because of a lack of resources wendy administration created the lack of resources is like somebody killing their parents and pleading for mercy because they are an orphan. This is a self-imposed challenge to the proper administration of our national parks. I do have one question. Take this for the record.
▶ 0:48:59Co-Chair King: That is -- what resources both in terms of staffing hours or dollars would be necessary to implement each of the 25 bills on the agenda today? I would like that for the record. What would it take in terms of building back the resources in order to adequately implement these bills?
▶ 0:49:28Co-Chair King: I am at a loss to understand why this administration has sought drasticallyto -- sought to drastically cut funding. It makes no sense to me. In terms of the adams memorial bill, I totally agree with the chair that the adams family should be honored and there should be a memorial no question. My problem is I want to be sure that we have an identified site and memorial design.
▶ 0:50:01Co-Chair King: We are going to a process where under previous law congress approved two columns at the western end of the memorial bridge. That is now being -- we are now being told that justifies the building of a monstrous arch. I don't want to have this repeat itself.
▶ 0:50:27Co-Chair King: If we do the memorial, we should but it should be done with specificity in terms of the location and design of the memorial. And finally I agree with your testimony about senator tillis' bill, lease extensions make sense but not endless extensions that will have the effect of limiting competition and undermining service to our customers and also the value of the taxpayers.
▶ 0:50:57Co-Chair King: Do suggest parameters on this lease extension bill that might mitigate some of these problems.
▶ 0:51:04Mr. Cuvelier: We welcome the opportunity to discuss that as follow-up to see if there are parameters that would be appropriate. I don't have any before you today specifically.
▶ 0:51:12Co-Chair King: I appreciate that. Appreciate you having your testimony and the work you have done on these bills. But I want to reiterate, pleading poverty when self-induced does not work for me for this -- or for the subcommittee. We look forward to considering these bills in the markup session. And discussing them in full. We appreciate your testimony.
▶ 0:51:42Co-Chair King: I want to reiterate my comments about the funding and resources. They are directed at the decisions being made at the national park service, which by the way does not have a director. Thank you, Mr. chairman.
▶ 0:52:01Chair Daines: Senator king, thank you. If there is no more questions for today, members may submit for the record follow-up written questions before 6:00 p.m. Tomorrow. Hearing record will be open one week. I want to thank Mr. cuvelier for his time and service to this country in his capacity. This hearing is adjourned. [captioning performed by the national captioning institute, which is responsible for its caption content and accuracy. Visit ncicap.org]