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 Congressman Steve Daines’ bill to reimburse states for funds spent to reopen National Parks during the partial government shutdown was passed by the House Natural Resources Committee today without opposition. It now heads to the House floor for a full vote on final passage.

H.R. 3286, the Protecting States, Opening National Parks Act, is bipartisan legislation that seeks to ensure states are reimbursed for all state funds spent to pay for National Park operations during the recent lapse in federal appropriations.

“This bill is an attempt to help solve a problem that Washington, D.C. created,” Daines stated during today’s Committee mark-up of his bill. “Allowing states to fund the National Parks during the shutdown was a solution to a problem. H.R. 3286 will make those states whole. Shouldn’t we all agree not to punish those who seek to solve Washington’s problems?”

Passage of the Protecting States, Opening National Parks Act marks Daines’ second bipartisan bill to move through the House this week. Yesterday, Daines’ bill to expand hydropower production in Montana and other western states was passed by the full House without opposition and now moves to the Senate for consideration.

Daines’ bill has received strong bipartisan support and is co-sponsored by 26 members of the House, including seven Democrat members. Following the introduction of Daines’ bill in the House, Senators Lamar Alexander (R-TN), Michael Bennet (D-CO), Orrin Hatch (R-UT) and Mark Udall (D-CO) introduced companion legislation (S. 1572) in the Senate. 

H.R. 3286 has also received bipartisan support from governors of states that stepped in to fund National Parks during the partial shutdown.  On Monday, Colorado Governor John Hickenlooper, a Democrat, wrote a letter to House and Senate leadership, urging for passage of Daines’ bill.

“As this reopening not only helped the state and the communities that surrounded the Park, it also benefited the Service as well as the visitors from around the country who were treated to the fall splendor at one of the crown jewels of the Service’s system,” Hickenlooper wrote. “For this reason, we support legislation pending in Congress that would repay the states for the full costs of keeping this—and other Service units—open during the shutdown.”

Last month at a Natural Resources Committee hearing on Daines’ bill, Matt Sease, Treasurer of the Montana Lodging and Hospitality Association and manager of the Super 8 Bozeman, testified at Daines’ invitation and commended Daines’ legislation.

“For those of us who call Big Sky country home, we consider the mountains, rivers, and public lands a cherished part of our heritage. We take very seriously our inherent duty to balance, for both residents and our millions of annual visitors, the responsible use of the land as well as unfettered access to it,” Sease stated in his prepared testimony. 

“The recent government shutdown essentially barred the people from their lands. We hope this bill, along with other congressional action, will work to prevent this from ever happening again,” Sease continued. “Federal lands belong to the people. We are encouraged by this committee’s hard work and Rep. Daines’ proposed bill to ensure access to those lands.”

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