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Mr. PAULSEN. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding, and I want to thank him for his leadership, as well as Chairman Hensarling and all the staff on the Financial Services Committee for bringing this legislation forward.
I also want to mention my partner in this effort, Congresswoman Kaptur, for her efforts in promoting this legislation.
Mr. Speaker, President Teddy Roosevelt said:
There can be nothing in the world more beautiful than the Yosemite, the groves of the giant sequoias and redwoods, the canyon of the Colorado, the canyon of the Yellowstone, the three Tetons; and our people should see to it that they are preserved for their children and their children's children forever, with their majestic beauty all unmarred.
His leadership and tireless advocacy for conservation led to the creation of the National Park Service and System back in 1916.
Today, the National Park Service comprises over 401 different areas, covering more than 84 million acres across America, including territories like in American Samoa, Guam, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands. These areas include some of our most cherished monuments, battlefields, lakeshores, recreation areas, pristine rivers, and pristine falls.
Minnesota is host to five national parks who are visited by more than 650,000 visitors each and every year, contributing $34 million to our local economy. They span the entirety of the State, from the beautiful Voyageurs National Park up on the Canadian border, to the Mississippi River and Recreation Area, running through the heart of the Twin Cities.
Americans from all States, though, and all backgrounds have enjoyed the opportunity to visit these sites. In 2016, in just a few years, we will all come together to help celebrate the centennial, the 100th birthday of the National Park Service.
To commemorate this occasion, we have got bipartisan, bicameral legislation that will allow the Department of the Treasury to authorize the minting of a series of commemorative coins: a $5 coin, a silver dollar, and a clad half dollar. There is no cost to the taxpayer.
Over 300 authors in the House have signed on to the bill, bipartisan support in the Senate; and all the proceeds from this commemorative coin program go to the National Park Foundation, which is responsible for preserving and protecting all these resources under the stewardship of the National Park Service, and then promoting the public enjoyment and recreation and appreciation for those resources.
So more than 278 million people enjoy national parks each and every year, including my wife and my family, my four daughters. We frequently have the opportunity to visit and vacation in national parks. One of the very first summer jobs that I had was working at Yellowstone, some of the best memories of my life. My brother was a park ranger for many years at Glacier National Park.
So here we have a bill that commemorates not only the anniversary of our Park Service but also makes sure we have got dedicated funds that will have no taxpayer cost, no taxpayer impact in promoting these resources.
Mr. Speaker, there is no doubt that our national parks are truly one of our greatest natural resources and crowned jewels, and they deserve being celebrated and preserved so that future generations can enjoy that beauty and history in our country. So passing this bill is just one important step to help us honor our country's very important heritage.
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