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Text of letters from the President to the Speaker of the House of Representatives and the President of the Senate regarding the Bicentennial Land Heritage Act
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7347051
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Text of letters from the President to the Speaker of the House of Representatives and the President of the Senate regarding the Bicentennial Land Heritage Act
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White House Press Releases (Ford Administration)
Press Releases
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7347051
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20
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1977-01-20
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1977
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TOP EDGE PAPER GUIDE
READ INSTRUCTIONS CAREFULLY BEFORE TYPING
TOP EDGE PAPER GUIDE
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
JANUARY 20, 1977
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Office of the White House Press Secretary
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THE WHITE HOUSE
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TEXT OF LETTERS FROM THE PRESIDENT TO THE
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SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
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AND THE PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE
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January 19, 1977
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Dear Mr. Speaker: (Dear Mr. President:)
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am transmitting herewith draft legislation, "To
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authorize appropriations for the acquisition,
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improvement, rehabilitation, and maintenance of the
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National Park System and National Wildlife Refuges,
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and to increase grants to communities to improve
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park and recreation facilities. if Appropriations for
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the implementation of the Act are requested in a
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1977 supplemental appropriations request which has
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been transmitted with the 1978 Budget.
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This proposal, "|The Bicentennial Land Heritage Act"
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is similar to draft legislation which I transmitted
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to the 94th Congress on August 31, 1976. Because
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the 94th Congress adjourned sine die without acting
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on this matter, I am retransmitting the draft legis-
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lation which accompanied my August 31 message.
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The Bicentennial Land Heritage Program would establish
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a ten year national commitment to double America's
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heritage of national parks, reqreation areas, wildlife
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refuges, urban parks and historic sites. It would
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authorize the appropriation of $1.5 billion for the
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acquisition, improvement, rehabilitation, and main-
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tenance of the National Park System and National
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Wildlife Refuges, and would ingrease grants to
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communities to improve park and recreation facilities.
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Enactment of my proposal would establish a $1.5 billion
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program to:
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provide $141 million to bei used to acquire lands
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for parks, wildlife refuges, recreation areas,
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and historic sites;
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provide $959 million to upgrade and develop new
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and existing parks and refuges into recreation
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and conservation resourcess ready to serve the
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public;
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provide $200 million for increased staffing for
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the national parks and wildlife refuges; and,
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provide $200 million for grants to cities to
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upgrade present park areas! in disrepair.
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This program will significantly influence the future of
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the 31 million-acre National Park System. The System,
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with its 291 areas, contains outstanding natural features
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and historic sites. This program will provide for
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more
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(OVER)
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Digitized from Box 35 of the White House Press Releases at the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library
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TO? EDGE PAPER GUIDE
READ INSTRUCTIONS CAREFULLY BEFORE TYPING
TO? EDGE PAPER GUIDE
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developing and maintaining these areas to the'highest
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standards; standards befittingithe nationally significant
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resources, to be found in these areas. The program will
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assure sufficient management and protection of the
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resources in our park areas, and will also finance the
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facilities and personnel needed to make these resources
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available to the visiting public. The addition of lands
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to the System, coupled with effective resource manage-
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ment, will increase opportunities for outdoor recreation,
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as well as insure the protection and perpetuațion of
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park resources for future generations. Their inclusion
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would also help to alleviate overcrowding problems at
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some areas currently in the System which have experienced
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sharply accelerated visitation during recent years.
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The Bicentennial Land Heritage Program will also be
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important to the National Wildlife Refuge System. The
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385 National Wildlife Refuges which encompass 34 million
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acres provide habitat for a wide variety of the Nation's
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fish and wildlife. Funds authorized by the Bicentennial
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Land Heritage Act will be used to increase the size of
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the staff which manages refuges, and to repair, reha-
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bilitate, construct, and maintain facilities. I In
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addition, funds will be available for the acquisition
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of new refuges.
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To assist in needed maintenance and improvement of urban
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parks and recreation facilities the Program would also
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authorize $200 million of additional funds for the
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Community Development Block Grant Program, pursuant to
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the Housing and Community Development Act of 1974. It
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will be strongly urged that these additional funds be
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used for recreation programs.
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In my August 31 message originally transmitting this bill,
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I urged the Congress to join with me in reaffirming our
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Nation's commitment to preserve the best of our vast and
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beautiful. country and the wildlife inhabitating it. I
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now repeat my request. This program represents a sound
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investment in America which will pay off handsomely by
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permanently insuring and enriching the natural treasures
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to be inherited by future generations. All Americans
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must stand committed to conserve and cherish our incom-
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parable natural heritage our wildlife, our air, our
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water resources and our land itself. As our Nation
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begins its third century, we must renew our commitment
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to save this great natural heritage for the enjoyment
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of future generations of Americans.
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Accordingly, I strongly urge the Congress to enact the
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proposed "Bicentennial Land Herjtage Act" which establishes
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a program designed to ensure the fulfillment of this
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national commitment.
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Sincerely,
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GERALD R. FORD
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