Washington, D.C. - U.S. Reps. Brian Baird and Mark Souder (R-IN) announced the formation of a National Parks Caucus today.  Sharing a love for our national parks and national treasures, the lawmakers founded the caucus to further awareness in Congress about the needs of America’s National Parks.  In recent weeks, Reps. Baird and Souder have been gaining support for the caucus among colleagues in the House and currently have 32 members in the bi-partisan group.

Caucuses provide Members of Congress with a forum to discuss and advocate for issues of importance that may not directly relate to their committee assignments.  They can also serve as a connector, bringing members together who may not otherwise work on similar issues, forming bonds that improve legislators’ ability to lobby for other issues of importance in their district.

“Every year millions of Americans and tourists from around the world enjoy the beauty of our national parks,” said Rep. Baird. “Our goal in the Caucus is to raise awareness in Congress of the issues and problems facing our National Park Service and help them preserve these treasures for generations to come.”

“Like those who have come before us, we hold our national parks in trust for future generations of Americans,” Rep. Souder said.  “We must ensure that the legacy inherited by our generation is adequately preserved for the next.  The National Parks Caucus aims to continue the mission of conservation and preservation.”

Since the establishment of our nation’s first national park over 130 years ago, the National Park System of the United States has grown to comprise 384 areas covering more than 83 million acres in 49 States, the District of Columbia, American Samoa, Guam, Puerto Rico, Saipan, and the Virgin Islands. In 2003 the National Park Service counted 266,900,000 visitors to parks across the nation.

Southwest Washington is home to many beautiful and unique national parks including Mt. St. Helens National Volcanic Monument and Fort Vancouver National Historic Site.  Rep. Baird has recently authored legislation to create a Lewis and Clark National Historical Park at the mouth of the Columbia River, incorporating historical sites on both the Oregon and Washington banks of the river.  This bill has received broad bi-partisan support, including the approval of the U.S. Department of Interior Secretary Gale Norton.

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