H.R. 9516

Military Families National Parks Access Enhancement Act

STATEMENT OF MICHAEL A. CALDWELL, ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR, PARK PLANNING, FACILITIES AND LANDS, NATIONAL PARK SERVICE, U.S. DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR, BEFORE THE HOUSE NATURAL RESOURCES SUBCOMMITTEE ON FEDERAL LANDS, CONCERNING H.R. 9516, TO AMEND THE FEDERAL LANDS RECREATION ENHANCEMENT ACT TO PROVIDE FOR LIFETIME NATIONAL PARKS AND FEDERAL RECREATIONAL LANDS PASSES FOR FAMILY MEMBERS OF THE ARMED FORCES WHO LOST THEIR LIVES WHILE SERVING THEIR COUNTRY.

September 18, 2024

Chairman Tiffany, Ranking Member Neguse, and members of the Subcommittee, thank you for the opportunity to present the Department of the Interior’s views on H.R. 9516, the Military Families National Parks Access Enhancement Act. H.R. 9516 would amend the Federal Lands Recreation Enhancement Act (FLREA) to provide for lifetime National Parks and Federal Recreational Lands Passes for family members of members of the Armed Forces who lost their lives while serving their country.

The Department recognizes the importance of honoring those who serve our country in the Armed Forces. However, at present, the Department does not have a formal Administration position on this legislation as it was not introduced with sufficient time for an in-depth analysis of the bill text and the number of additional individuals who would potentially qualify for a free lifetime pass who are currently ineligible. We would be happy to provide the Committee with our views, including any potential proposed amendments, upon request. We defer to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) on how this legislation would affect USDA programs.

As a part of FLREA, Congress established the multi-agency America the Beautiful – The National Parks and Federal Recreational Lands Pass Program (Interagency Pass Program) to cover entrance fees for the National Park Service and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and standard amenity recreation fees for the Bureau of Land Management, U.S. Forest Service, and Bureau of Reclamation. The Interagency Pass Program began in 2007 and included an annual pass for $20 and a lifetime pass for $80 for those aged 62 years or older (Lifetime Senior Pass), and a free lifetime pass for persons with permanent disabilities (Access Pass). Public Law 113- 121, enacted in 2014, authorized the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to also participate in the Interagency Pass Program. In 2021, Congress passed the Alexander Lofgran Veterans in Parks Act as a part of the National Defense Authorization Act for FY 2022 (P.L. 11781) which authorized free lifetime access to federal lands for veterans and Gold Star Families. In 2023, an estimated 1.2 million passes were sold or distributed by these six agencies. Revenue from the sale of the passes—which totaled approximately $94 million in 2023—is a critical source of supplemental funding for these agencies that significantly enhances their efforts to address maintenance issues, better manage federal lands, and respond to changes in visitation levels and service requirements.

We are supportive of efforts to honor service members and their families, particularly those who lost their lives while serving our country. However, we are also mindful of the impact that free Federal recreation passes will have on recreation fee revenues and the costs of administering passes for each new category of eligible individuals. We encourage Congress to carefully consider the need for adequate resources so that all Americans can enjoy their public lands.

We also want to note that FLREA is not a permanent program. Since the 10-year initial authorization for the program expired in 2013, Congress has extended the authority for the program in one- or two-year increments in appropriations bills. If the authority for FLREA were to expire, so too would the authority for no-cost recreation passes.

Chairman Tiffany, this concludes my statement. I would be pleased to answer any questions you or other members of the Subcommittee may have.