http://kilmer.house.gov/news/press-releases/kilmers-national-park-legacy-act-other-park-maintenance-plans_clear-important-hurdle
Today, the House Committee on Natural Resources held a hearing on the National Park Service Legacy Act and other plans to reduce maintenance backlogs in the National Park System.
“National parks across the country desperately need repairs. Fixing them creates jobs and boosts economies around the parks,” Rep. Derek Kilmer said. “I support nature hikes, not entry fee hikes. The National Park Service Legacy Act will fix our national parks and put people to work without sticking visitors with the bill.”
Marcia Argust, the Director of the Pew Charitable Trusts’ Restore America’s Parks Campaign, testified before the committee today.
“Deferred maintenance within our National Park System is a critical issue that needs to be addressed. It will require a bipartisan approach and collaboration.” Argust said in her written testimony. She said her group endorsed The National Park Service Legacy Act “without reservation.”
Today, she brought the committee a list of more than 3,000 organizations across the nation that support directing more resources to fixing up the nation’s parks. The diversity of the groups shows the vital role national parks paly in the economy. It included: county and local officials, businesses, veterans, representatives of the hotel and restaurant industries, conservation groups, labor unions, the recreation industry, infrastructure groups and tourism societies.
The National Park Service Legacy Act would generate dedicated funding for park maintenance over the next 50 years. The amount of funds would be scaled in the following way:
$50 million a year in fiscal years 2018-20.
$150 million a year in fiscal 2021-23.
$250 million a year in fiscal 2024-26.
$500 million a year in fiscal 2027-47.
The act would address the backlog by distributing revenue the government receives from oil and gas royalties back into a restoration fund. It has been endorsed by the National Parks Conservation Association, Pew Charitable Trusts, and the National Trust for Historic Preservation.
Late last year, the Department of the Interior proposed a plan to almost triple the fee for visitors to enter the national parks from $25 per car to $70 in order to pay for maintenance. Kilmer opposes the fee hike. He led events in Washington state to encourage his constituents to weigh in against the proposal during the public comment period. According to The Seattle Times, raising park fees would do little to reduce the maintenance backlog. Rather than the long-term solution the bipartisan National Park Service Legacy Act offers, a fee hike would only generate about 1 percent of the total funds needed to address the maintenance backlog throughout the National Park System.
According to the National Park Service, in 2016 the 3,390,221 people who visited Olympic National Park spent $286,786,300 in communities near the park. That spending supported 3,842 jobs in the local area and had a cumulative benefit to the local economy of $398,689,900.
The same study found that for every $1 dollar invested in the National Park Service, an estimated $10 are returned to the nation’s economy. And, it’s estimated that the 331 million visitors to the nation’s national parks spend $18.4 billion in communities within 60 miles of a national park.
As Tourism Season Approaches, Washington Lawmakers Request More Bomb-Sniffing Dogs for Sea-Tac
Press release from Congressman Kilmer's webpage dated 3/ 19/ 18http://kilmer.house.gov/news/press-releases/as-tourism-season-approaches-washington-lawmakers-request-more-bomb-sniffing-dogs-for-sea-tac
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today, U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell, the top Democrat on the Senate Commerce Subcommittee on Aviation Operations, Safety, and Security, Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), and Representatives Rick Larsen (D-WA), Derek Kilmer (D-WA), Suzan DelBene (D-WA), Adam Smith (D-WA), Denny Heck (D-WA), Dave Reichert (R-WA), and Pramila Jayapal (D-WA) sent a letter to Transportation Security Administration (TSA) Administrator David Pekoske requesting five temporary passenger screening canine teams for Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (Sea-Tac) by the end of March.
“We are writing to urge immediate action by the Transportation Security Administration to transfer five temporary passenger screening canines to Seattle-Tacoma International Airport in order to meet your assurance before the Senate Commerce Committee of ten canine teams by the end of this month,” the lawmakers requested.
The additional bomb-sniffing dogs are needed to meet Administrator Pekoske’s commitment, made to Cantwell in a January Commerce Subcommittee hearing, to have ten canine teams in operation at the airport by the end of the month.
“March is the start of the busy spring travel season at Sea-Tac, and has historically been one of the most difficult times of year for congestion at screening checkpoints. With that in mind, Sea-Tac needs temporary canine teams now before the problem continues to get worse,” the lawmakers added.
Text of letter sent:
Dear Administrator Pekoske:
We are writing to urge immediate action by the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) to transfer five temporary passenger screening canines to Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (Sea-Tac) in order to meet your assurance before the Senate Commerce Committee of ten canine teams by the end of this month.
Currently, the airport only has five TSA passenger screening canines, and it could be months until additional permanent dogs are ready to be put into service. Meanwhile, March is the start of the busy spring travel season at Sea-Tac, and has historically been one of the most difficult times of year for congestion at screening checkpoints. With that in mind, Sea-Tac needs temporary canine teams now before the problem continues to get worse.
Unfortunately, despite a strong partnership between Sea-Tac and local TSA staff, passenger screening wait times have increased significantly over the past six months. Last week, for example, only 63 percent of travelers made it through TSA checkpoints within Sea-Tac’s customer service goal of 20 minutes, and peak hour average wait times also exceeded that metric.
Given the surging demand for travel to and from the Pacific Northwest, we are keenly aware of the importance of efficient and reliable security screening checkpoints at Sea-Tac, and how they impact the ability of our region’s economy to thrive. A recent study found that Sea-Tac supports $22.5 billion in total business impact throughout Washington, but this economic activity is highly dependent on the airport providing the reliable customer service, security and convenience that travelers demand.
While there are several long-term factors contributing to this decline, including the fact that Sea-Tac has one of the highest Transportation Security Officer (TSO) attrition rates in the country, we need to ensure that immediate steps are being taken to minimize long wait times at the airport.
The Port of Seattle is doing its part by investing millions of dollars in efforts to increase checkpoint efficiency by facilitating the pre-screening process, and they need more canine resources to complement their work to address this problem. Checkpoint efficiency is critical to keeping lines moving, and Sea-Tac estimates that checkpoints with a canine are able to process 245 passengers per hour, compared to just 140 passengers per hour without a canine.
We appreciative your partnership in ensuring that Sea-Tac remains able to accommodate its growing demand. Thank you for your prompt action in response to this request.
WORLD HEADLINE NEWS FROM THE UN NEWS CENTER & OTHER SOURCES...
UN PRESS RELEASE: Security Council Extends Mandate for Expert Panel Assisting Sanctions Committee on Democratic People’s Republic of Korea
The Security Council today extended until 24 April 2019 the mandate of its eight‑member Panel of Experts assisting the Sanctions Committee pursuant to resolution 1718 (2006) on the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea. (dated 3/ 21/ 18)
https://www.un.org/press/en/2018/sc13256.doc.htm
Successful Elections in Libya Hinged on Tightening Security, Cracking Down on Oil Smuggling, Human Trafficking, Top Official Tells Security Council
While a spirit of optimism was taking hold in Libya, even amid persistent security concerns, a predatory economic system — including the oil smuggling and human trafficking — must be overcome if elections in 2018 were to succeed in restoring peace and stability, the United Nations senior official in the country told the Security Council today. (dated 3/ 21/ 18)
https://www.un.org/press/en/2018/sc13257.doc.htm
Hailing African free trade agreement, Guterres says UN ready to support continent’s ‘leap into history’
United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres has welcomed the singing of a continental free trade agreement in Africa that has created one of the world’s largest trading blocs with over 50 countries.
https://news.un.org/en/story/2018/03/1005611
UN agency envoy Cate Blanchett warns of ‘race against time’ as Rohingya refugee camps brace for monsoon rains
As heavy rains and potential cyclones threaten more than one hundred thousand Rohingya refugees living in congested settlements in Bangladesh’s Cox’s Bazar, United Nations refugee agency envoy Cate Blanchett is urging increased international support to protect them from the worst impacts of the upcoming monsoon season.
https://news.un.org/en/story/2018/03/1005531
People with Down syndrome can drive positive changes in their workplaces, communities and beyond
People with Down syndrome, their advocates and supporters gathered at UN Headquarters in New York on Wednesday to rally employers and make sure they saw the benefits of enabling people with Down syndrome and disabilities to make meaningful contributions in the workplace.
https://news.un.org/en/story/2018/03/1005591
Acts that undermine the Libyan State must not become the ‘new normal,’ UN Security Council told
Libya’s shaky financial position, looming humanitarian crisis and the inability of State authorities to provide services have created a “vicious cycle” where groups with vested interests are trying to step in and undermine the Government, the United Nations envoy to the north African warned on Wednesday.
https://news.un.org/en/story/2018/03/1005551
From the US Mission to the UN: Ambassador Nikki Haley on U.S. Humanitarian Funding to Colombia to Help Displaced Venezuelans
press release issued 3/ 20/ 18
https://usun.state.gov/remarks/8344
President Maduro’s continuing disregard for the universal human rights of the Venezuelan people has triggered over 1.5 million Venezuelans to seek safety in neighboring countries. The United Nations recently called for international support to provide immediate humanitarian assistance to this growing and increasingly vulnerable population. Today the United States announced it will provide an initial $2.5 million to support the Government of Colombia’s efforts to address this crisis, which is a growing threat to regional security and stability. This funding is in addition to the $36.5 million the United States has already provided to support the regional humanitarian operations of the UN’s refugee agency and other international organizations, including support of vulnerable Venezuelans.
“The tragic events in Venezuela are now threatening instability in the entire region. The regime’s refusal to allow the international community to directly deliver humanitarian aid within its borders is only fueling the mass exodus. The United States remains committed to working with our friends in Colombia to help the displaced, and we call on other nations to join us in supporting the UN Humanitarian Appeal. While this assistance will help alleviate some immediate humanitarian needs, free and fair elections and transparent, accountable governance are necessary for restoring democracy, human rights, and prosperity to Venezuela,” said Ambassador Haley.
Remarks at a UN Security Council Arria-Formula Meeting on Syria
press release issued 3/ 19/ 18
https://usun.state.gov/remarks/8343
Quote: " So, while it is shameful that some members of this Council sought to prevent the High Commissioner for Human Rights from speaking on this topic today, and we’ve seen the lengths that some members of this Council will go to to hide and distort the truth about what is happening in Syria."
US STATE DEPT: Department of State Inaugurates New Regional Antiterrorism Training Facility in Jordan
Press release issued 3/ 22/ 18
https://www.state.gov/r/pa/prs/ps/2018/03/279457.htm
U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for Diplomatic Security Michael T. Evanoff , U.S. Embassy Amman Chargé d’Affaires Henry T. Wooster, His Royal Highness Prince Rashid, and Jordanian Gendarmerie Director Maj. Gen. Hussein Hawatmeh formally dedicated the new Jordanian Gendarmerie Training Academy, which was funded, constructed, and equipped through the Department of State’s Antiterrorism Assistance (ATA) program.
US DEFENSE DEPT: Chairman Expresses Enthusiasm About Military Dimension in Afghanistan
FORWARD OPERATING BASE GAMBERI, Afghanistan, March 21, 2018 —
The hard work of Afghan and coalition personnel in the train, advise, assist strategy is already paying off, and the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff is encouraged by the progress.
https://www.defense.gov/News/Article/Article/1472373/chairman-expresses-enthusiasm-about-military-dimension-in-afghanistan/
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Commentary: The sudden bimbo eruption, media driven to give publicity to Trump's mistress?
