Today, the U.S. House of Representatives passed several Republican bills, including H.R. 7693, the National Park Foundation Reauthorization Act of 2022, introduced by House Committee on Natural Resources Ranking Member Bruce Westerman (R-Ark.).

"I'm so pleased to see these bipartisan efforts passing the House and making their way to the Senate," Westerman said. "By reauthorizing the National Park Foundation, we will reduce deferred maintenance at our national parks, advance public-private partnerships, and address pressing issues like park overcrowding by incentivizing innovative private-sector solutions. We've already seen this work in action at iconic sites like Yellowstone, making everyone's experience at our national parks more enjoyable. This legislation and others that moved forward today will advance our shared goals of scientific conservation and shared stewardship of our resources. I'm honored to stand for these priorities and look forward to seeing them signed into law."

Background

In total, the House passed nine Natural Resources Committee bills, including:

• H.R. 7693, the National Park Foundation Reauthorization Act of 2022, introduced by U.S. Reps. Bruce Westerman (R-Ark.) and Raúl Grijalva (D-Ariz.), which reauthorizes appropriations for the National Park Foundation (NPF), up to $15 million annually, through FY 2030. NPF appropriations require a minimum 1:1 match with private donations, which are used to fund vital park projects. NPF cannot use federal funds for overhead, administrative expenses, or land acquisition. 
• H.R. 7025, the Advancing Human Rights-Centered International Conservation Act of 2022, introduced by U.S. Reps. Bruce Westerman (R-Ark.) and Raúl Grijalva (D-Ariz.), which makes several changes to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s (USFWS) international conservation grant program to ensure USFWS grant dollars are not used to fund human rights abuses. The bill requires the human rights records of grantees be vetted by USFWS, holds grantees accountable for the actions of their subgrantees and requires USFWS to investigate allegations of human rights violations by their grantees.

H.R. 7002, the Gateway Solidarity Act, introduced by U.S. Rep. Ann Wagner (R-Mo.), which requires the Secretary of the Interior to illuminate Gateway Arch in St. Louis, Mo., in blue and yellow as a sign of solidarity with Ukraine and its people.