Murkowski Introduces Bill to Authorize Cooperative Management Agreements Between District of Columbia and the National Park Service

Source: Senator Lisa Murkowski- (R - AK)

Washington, D.C. - October 24, 2017 - (The Ponder News) -- Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, recently introduced a bill that authorizes the District of Columbia (District) to enter into cooperative management agreements (CMAs) with the National Park Service (NPS) to more efficiently manage park sites across the District. The bill, S. 1956, is the companion bill to H.R. 2897, which was introduced in June by Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton, D-D.C.

“Both the District and the Park Service share the mutual goal of providing better, more cost-effective management of our park sites across the nation’s capital,” said Murkowski. “S. 1956 would facilitate the implementation of this goal by extending authority to the District to enter into cooperative management agreements. Residents and visitors will reap the benefits of these agreements, starting with Franklin Park.”

“I am grateful to my friend Senator Lisa Murkowski for introducing her Senate companion bill supporting the District’s efforts to work with NPS to rehabilitate Franklin Park and other underfunded NPS properties across the nation’s capital,” said Norton. “This legislation is a big win for the federal government and the District and will allow residents and visitors alike to enjoy greenspace and amenities right in downtown D.C. Our House bill has already been passed by two committees and is on its way to the floor. I look forward to working with Senator Murkowski to advance this noncontroversial bill through Congress.”

“S. 1956 will enable the District to move forward on projects that will improve Washington, DC for residents, visitors, and businesses, and we are pleased to collaborate with Senator Murkowski on this legislation,” said Mayor Muriel Bowser, D-D.C. “With the authority to enter into cooperative management agreements, the District and the National Park Service will be able to restore urban spaces like Franklin Park so that they better represent and reflect the strength and grandeur of our nation’s capital.”

Murkowski is the chairman of the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. Click here to view the text of the bill.

Sexual Harrassment in the National Parks

Washington, D.C. - October 17, 2017 (The Ponder News) -- Congresswoman Betty McCollum (DFL-Minn.), Ranking Member of the Interior-Environment Appropriations Subcommittee, released the following statement on the National Park Service’s report on sexual harassment within the agency:

“I am deeply disturbed by this report, which details an unacceptable culture of sexual harassment and hostile work environments at the National Park Service. The incidents described in the report, and the lack of action to address them, should concern all of us.

“Every employee has the right to a safe workplace that is free from harassment. The Department of the Interior and the National Park Service must take steps to finally end this widespread pattern of workplace harassment. As they address this issue, I will work with my colleagues in Congress to hold the Department accountable and ensure that no employee ever faces the kind of mistreatment and abuse outlined in this report.”

In the fiscal year 2017 Interior-Environment appropriations bill, Congresswoman McCollum secured language that instructed the Department of the Interior to report to Congress on corrective steps being taken to address harassment and implement strong and consistent anti-harassment policies.

Ranking Member Raúl M. Grijalva (D-Ariz.) and Rep. Donald McEachin (VA-04) – the Ranking Member of the Oversight and Investigations Subcommittee who requested a congressional hearing on sexual harassment at the National Park Service (NPS) in June – released the following statement on a NPS survey in which 38 percent of employees report experiencing some form of sexual harassment:

“Dumping this news on a Friday afternoon, without any clear next steps, suggests this administration still isn’t taking this problem as seriously as it should,” said Ranking Member Raúl Grijalva. “Stopping sexual harassment will require changing the agency’s culture, which has survived through administrations of both political parties, and that won’t happen unless Secretary Zinke makes this a genuine priority. Congress has a responsibility to ensure that Secretary Zinke takes command of ending sexual harassment, and I stand ready to work with Chairman Bishop to hold a hearing on this employee survey and next steps from the Interior Department as soon as possible.”

“I have repeatedly asked Secretary Zinke, both in person and through written correspondence, to prioritize addressing the culture of sexual harassment that has permeated the NPS,” said Congressman Donald McEachin. “This problem is far too serious and has gone on for far too long. We need long-term, systemic solutions. I urge Secretary Zinke to listen closely to the survey results and quickly implement changes that will eliminate all forms of sexual harassment in the NPS. I also implore Chairmen Bishop and Westerman to heed requests to hold congressional hearings to remedy this issue further.”

Among other actions, Natural Resources Committee Democrats requested the initial NPS employee survey as well as its expansion to include seasonal employees; previously requested a hearing on the issue; and, in a budget hearing earlier this year, highlighted the administration’s failure to make an exception to Zinke’s hiring ban to deal with the backlog of sexual harassment cases.

Related News:

Interior's Ryan Zinke cracks down on discrimination and sexual harassment at national parks

Murkowski: Latest Sturgeon Decision an Affront to All Alaskans

Washington, D.C. - October 5, 2017 (The Ponder News) -- U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, released the following statement slamming the U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit for again ruling against John Sturgeon, an Alaskan who sued the National Park Service after being forced off of the Nation River in 2007 for using a hovercraft to hunt moose, as he had been doing for decades.

Just last year, the Supreme Court of the United States ruled unanimously (8-0) in favor of Mr. Sturgeon, who has fought his way through federal courts for 10 years to secure justice and his right to have reasonable access to lands and waters in Alaska. His fight has become symbolic of the burdensome and unwarranted use restrictions the federal government has sought to apply in Alaska in recent years.

“This is a hard punch in the gut. Eighteen months ago, the nation’s highest court rejected what it called the Ninth Circuit’s ‘topsy-turvy approach’ to Mr. Sturgeon’s case, sending it back for further proceedings,” Murkowski said. “Unfazed, the same judge on the Ninth Circuit has announced a follow-on decision that again denies Mr. Sturgeon his rights. This is an affront to all Alaskans, and yet another example of a court that is deeply out of touch with both the law and the people. This decision cannot be allowed to stand.”

Murkowski is chairman of the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. Along with Sen. Dan Sullivan, also R-Alaska, she is cosponsoring S. 296, a bill to reform the present division of the federal Courts of Appeals. Murkowski believes the Ninth Circuit should be split into two courts so that Alaskans have at least a chance of laws, such as the Alaska National Interest Land Conservation Act, being fairly interpreted and applied in their legal proceedings.

Off-Leash Walking in Golden Gate National Recreation Area Passes House

Source: House Representative Jackie Speier (D-CA, 14th)

Washington, D.C. - September 14, 2017 (The Ponder News) -- Congresswoman Jackie Speier (D-San Francisco/San Mateo) released the following statement today after her amendment to prevent the National Park Service from restricting off-leash dog walking in Golden Gate National Recreation Area (GGNRA) near San Francisco passed the House of Representatives.

“I’m pleased that my amendment to stop the National Park Service (NPS) from restricting off-leash dog walking in Golden Gate National Recreation Area has passed the House. This is a 40-year tradition in the Bay Area, and the NPS’ attempts to ban it have been fraught with corruption and opaque decision making. I particularly thank my colleague and fellow dog lover, Congressman Jeff Denham, for co-sponsoring this amendment. We need to start from scratch in order to have a Dog Management Plan that respects the needs of all GGNRA users, even the furry four-legged ones.”

National Parks

Washington, D.C. - August 30, 2017 (The Ponder News) -- U.S. Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke recommended that President Trump change the borders of “a handful” of National Monuments. The Secretary did not publicly specify which monuments he is recommending be changed, but the recommendation comes after a White House ordered review of 27 National Monuments.

Below are statements and information from the newsmakers about this subject. (Please keep checking back to this page for updates!:

House Representative Judy Chu (D-CA, 27th):

“At the behest of oil companies eager to drill in protected lands, Donald Trump ordered a review of 27 of America’s most beloved national monuments. Now, after visiting just eight of them, Secretary Zinke is ignoring the outpouring of public support from 2.7 million Americans and recommending that an undetermined number be altered. The public deserves to see the complete list of recommendations that were sent to the White House. That he is not recommending any of the monuments be eliminated – as was intended at the start of the review – is an acknowledgement that these monuments all comport with the Antiquities Act. And so he is seeking to change them to cater to corporate interests instead.

“We invited Secretary Zinke to visit the San Gabriel Mountains National Monument to actually hear from the communities that support it. But instead, Zinke and Trump are choosing to listen to corporations and Washington lobbyists. Because of the utter lack of transparency, we do not know if the San Gabriels – which are supported by 80% of Angelenos – are among those to be altered.”

Jobs, Overtime Pay, Kate's Law, Sanctuary Cities, National Parks, Social Security Act, Independence Day

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CELEBRATING OUR INDEPENDENCE
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For 241 years, Americans have demonstrated their passion for living in a country founded on protecting “Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness,” by celebrating Independence Day. This tradition is a celebration of the actions our founding fathers took when they declared that our new nation would be independent from the tyrannical crown of England. Since then, the United States has overcome periods of adversity and made remarkable contributions to the rest of world, all in an effort to preserve our way of life.
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