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Democratic Congressman Laments Impact Of Budget Sequestration On National Parks

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Just ahead of the Memorial Day Weekend, the traditional kickoff to summer, a Democratic congressman has released a report pointing to how the budget sequestration has impacted the National Park System, citing reduced search-and-rescue capabilities in some parks to dirtier restrooms in others.

"Because of recent sequester cuts ... parks are closing or delaying the opening of roads, campgrounds and facilities, reducing their hours of operation and visitor services, and deferring or forgoing maintenance, all of which threatens to reduce the number of visitors who spend money in nearby communities," reads the report issued today by U.S. Rep. Ed Markey, D-Mass., the ranking Democrat on the House Natural Resources Committee. "Simply put, America’s best idea is under attack by America’s worst idea."

Park Service Director Jon Jarvis earlier this year warned of such reductions in services, saying the 5 percent across-the-board cut to the agency's budget would impact visitor services, shorten hours of operation, and possibly even close areas to the public.

The congressman's 31-page report offers capsules on how parks across the country have reduced services to absorb cuts mandated by the budget sequestration.

* At Fredericksburg and Spotsylvania National Military Park in Virginia, a $200,000 cut means "the park will not hire any seasonal workers and will not fill 11 vacant permanent positions, representing a 23 percent reduction in staff. The park expects additional volunteer help, but it already depends on the equivalent of 15 full-time employees (FTEs) in volunteers."

Additionally, the park that preserves Civil War battlefields has cut educational programming by 70 percent, the report notes, and the Jackson Shrine, a memorial to Confederate General Thomas "Stonewall" Jackson, is closed five days a week.

* At Golden Gate National Recreation Area in California, the loss of $1.3 million means 11 currently vacant permanent positions will remain unfilled, five fewer seasonal positions will be filled, restrooms will be cleaned less frequently, and Fort Point National Historic Site, a fort completed just before the Civil War to defend the San Francisco Bay, will be open six days a week during summer and just two days a week during the off-season.

* Grand Canyon National Park officials in Arizona had to cut $1.6 million from their budget, a loss of funding that means visitor center hours are being trimmed two hours per day, bathrooms are being cleaned just once a day instead of twice, and interpretive programs are being cut by a third on the South Rim and by half on the North Rim.

* The loss of more than $160,000 means Bryce Canyon National Park in Utah will have fewer rangers to conduct search-and-rescue operations.

* At Great Smoky Mountains National Park in North Carolina and Tennessee, the loss of nearly $1 million has forced the closure of some campgrounds this summer, 10 other campgrounds and five horse camps are opening a month later than usual, and backcountry ranger patrols are being reduced.

* At Lowell National Historical Park in Massachusetts, the loss of $414,220 has forced park officials to defer cleaning, repair, and maintenance of four museum exhibits, the number of guided trolly tours are being reduced, and a theater program that employs 10 youth from the area's recent immigrant population has been canceled.

In compiling the report, the Democratic staff of the House Natural Resources Committee interviewed superintendents or top deputies at 23 parks in the National Park System. In the report's narrative, the staff noted that "(P)ark superintendents interviewed for this report said they were directed to minimize visitor impacts to every extent possible in developing their sequester plans. However, the size of the sequester cuts and the staff reductions required to meet those cuts meant that some visitor impacts could not be avoided, especially following other cuts that parks have endured over the last several years."

"This finding refutes Republican accusations that the Obama administration made intentionally painful cuts at the national parks in order to build public opposition against the sequester," the narrative continues. "In fact, the parks profiled in this report show that closures, delayed openings, reduced visitor services, and other adverse impacts are the inevitable consequences of the budget cuts Republicans have forced."

In a press release accompanying the repor, Congressman Markey said that, “National parks are known as America’s best idea, but America’s best idea is now under attack by one of America’s worst ideas, the sequester."

"Republicans in Congress who forced these painful cuts to our national parks are looking for someone else to blame. It’s time they accept responsibility for their actions and immediately restore funding to our national parks and other vital job-creating programs by ending the sequester," he continued. "Members of Congress and past presidents of both political parties supported and nurtured our national parks for more than a century. The sequester is a betrayal of that commitment.”

Comments

Thank you Lee for further exposing the quoted statement as a lie.

Now, about that entitlement thing. Are you going to provide evidence I ever made such a request or will you admit you made it up and apologize?


The House passed the Budget Control Act on August 1, 2011 by a vote of 269–161. 174 Republicans and 95 Democrats voted for it, while 66 Republicans and 95 Democrats voted against it.

The Senate passed the Act on August 2, 2011 by a vote of 74–26. 6 Democrats and 19 Republicans voted against it.

So if you add it all up, a total of 202 Republicans and 140 Democrats in both houses voted for the act. 85 Republicans and 101 Democrats voted against it.

Now, the whole thing sounds a lot like a herd of Kindergarteners pointing fingers and shifting blame when the teacher catches them at something. (Nah, that's probably an insult to all Kindergarten children everywhere. . . . . )

The bill was the final chance in a series of proposals to resolve the 2011 United States debt-ceiling crisis, which featured bitter divisions between the parties and also pronounced splits within them. Earlier ideas included the Obama-Boehner $4 trillion "Grand Bargain",the House Republican Cut, Cap and Balance Act, and the McConnell-Reid "Plan B" fallback. All eventually failed to gain enough general political or specific Congressional support to move into law, as the midnight August 2, 2011, deadline for an unprecedented U.S. sovereign default drew nearer and nearer.

The solution came from White House National Economic Council Director Gene Sperling, who, on July 12, 2011, proposed a compulsory trigger that would go into effect if another agreement was not made on tax increases and/or budget cuts equal to or greater than the debt ceiling increase by a future date.

Ultimately, the intent of the sequester was to secure the commitment of both sides to future negotiation by means of an enforcement mechanism that would be unpalatable to Republicans and Democrats alike. President Obama agreed to the plan. House Speaker John Boehner expressed reservations, but also agreed.

On July 26, 2011, White House Budget Director Jack Lew and White House Legislative Affairs Director Rob Nabors met with Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid to discuss the plan. Reid, like Boehner several days before, was initially opposed to the idea, but was eventually convinced to go along with it, with the understanding that the sequester was intended as an enforcement tool rather than a true budget proposal.

On the evening of July 31, 2011, Obama announced that the leaders of both parties in both chambers had reached an agreement that would reduce the deficit and avoid default. The same day, Speaker of the House John Boehner's office outlined the agreement for House Republicans. One key element in the deal being reached and the logjam being broken earlier that afternoon was U.S. Vice President Joe Biden's ability to negotiate with his 25-year Senate colleague, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell. Biden had spent the most time bargaining with Congress on the debt question of anyone in the administration, and McConnell had viewed him as the one most trustworthy. [from Wikipedia]


Whose lie are you referring to? There are more than enough to go around. Actions speak much louder than words. Just as your actions demonstrate an attitude of entitlement. Words are not always needed. I'm sure other readers know exactly what I mean. Let them decide.


Whose lie are you referring to?

The lie of the orginal text I quoted in this thread of course.

Just as your actions demonstrate an attitude of entitlement.

OK you are starting your bob and weave - what "actions" of mine have demonstrated an attitude of entitlement?


"you are starting your bob and weave"

Yup. I've had a good teacher.


I've had a good teacher.

Saul?

To bad you can't man up and admit it was a total fabrication. Show us the words, show us the "actions" or apologize.

(Kurt - I know I am pushing the limits but someone should not be allowed to make personal accusations without backing them up)


Does anyone besides ecbuck know who or what he is? I certainly would not waste anytime responding to him and did not on another issue. We need another one like god, guns and religion which seem to go together. I was talking to god just the other day and he told me he really liked guns as do I.


Okay, will you show me where I claimed that you actually said you "request" or "demand" anything in your words. I've been very clear to refer to actions of many people who seem to feel entitled to do anything they wish, anywhere they wish, and anyhow they wish, usually without being charged anything for doing it. I was referring to actions and not words. No fabrication needed. So now, let's see you back your accusations.

Kurt, if you need it, I have a discount certificate for some Extra Strength Advil I can send you. Your post above was spot on.

And, Roger, thanks. I know it's a waste of time, but it sure is fun to get him riled up. And I guess Saul must be his middle name or something.


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