Office of the Secretary
For Immediate Release: October 14, 1998

Contact: John Wright 202/208-6416

STATEMENT

Secretary of the Interior Bruce Babbitt released the following statement
regarding Senate passage of the Parks Concessions Bill

“I am very pleased that the Senate has joined the House in voting to improve the management of the national parks. Passage of this bill, S.1693, is a major victory for all Americans who love, treasure, and want to preserve, the cultural and natural resources our parks have to offer.

“This bill is the first major overhaul in more than three decades of the way we award concessions contracts for the national parks. It ensures that all important future contracts will be awarded through competitive bidding, which will provide better service to the visiting public and a better return to the taxpayers.

“This bill also makes concessions’ franchise fees available for the first time, directly to the National Park Service to improve the parks. Eighty percent of the fees go to the park where they were obtained, and twenty percent to priority projects in the park system.

“I commend Congress, and in particular retiring Senator Dale Bumpers, Senator Craig Thomas, Congressman Don Young, and Congressman George Miller for their outstanding work in forging a consensus to bring about the passage of this legislation. Senator Thomas, the author of this bill, is to be commended for being a constructive and able leader in fashioning this legislative package. His vision and support for a strong national park system were essential to the enactment of this landmark legislation. Senator Bumpers has been a strong and forceful advocate for parks concessions reform for over 16 years. The enactment of this legislation is a fitting final tribute to Senator Bumpers’ distinguished career in the United States Senate. Finally my deepest appreciation goes to House Resources Committee Chairman Don Young, and Ranking Minority Member George Miller, who tirelessly worked into late evenings of this session to resolve important differences in the bill. Without their commitment to getting this long-awaited legislation to improve management in the national park system done in the 105th Congress, it would not have happened.”

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U.S. Department of the Interior