Letter to Daniel Smith, Acting Director of the National Park Service - Esty, Blumenthal, Murphy Seek Stay of Deportation for Kris and Tony Huang

Letter

Dear Acting Director Reynolds,

Thank you for your years of service in support of our national parks. Our national parks are a national treasure and we appreciate your commitment to ensuring that they are preserved and maintained for the benefit of all Americans.

We write regarding an issue brought to our attention at a hearing of the House Veterans' Affairs Disability Assistance and Memorial Affairs Subcommittee on September 13, 2017. At the hearing, a representative of the Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) spoke about groups of veterans being asked for permits by National Park Service personnel while taking photos in front of war memorials on the National Mall. The veterans involved in such incidents felt disrespected enough by the encounters to complain to the VFW about their treatment.

We both agree that no veteran deserves to be treated with disrespect while visiting a memorial dedicated to the memory of the men and women who gave their lives for our country. These veterans are simply trying to pay their respects to our fallen heroes, their comrades, and to feel that their own service to our nation is appreciated. To that end, we would like to know what the National Park Service has done to make sure that all veterans' groups visiting the National Mall are aware of any permitting requirements and what steps the National Park Service will take to prevent such incidents from taking place in the future.

We respect and appreciate the work that the National Park Service does to make our National Mall a safe and welcoming environment for all Americans to visit. We appreciate hearing from you regarding how you will ensure that it continues to be so well into the future.

Thank you for your attention to this matter.

Sincerely,