WASHINGTON, D.C. — Congressman Russ Fulcher (ID-01) introduced the Partnership Agreements Creating Tangible Savings Act or PACTS Act. Western Caucus Chairman Dan Newhouse (WA-04) and Congressman Doug LaMalfa (CA-01) joined the bill as original cosponsors.
The PACTS Act, if passed into law, will help alleviate many administrative hurdles for the National Park Service. It amends current law in order to allow the Secretary of the Interior, which oversees the National Park Service, to utilize services like snow removal, trash removal, or other related services that otherwise were not available. This bill will aid the Department of Interior and National Park Service by allowing them to share their resources more effectively and efficiently which will lead to cleaner National Parks for less of the costs to the taxpayers.
Congressman Fulcher commented, “It is critical that in managing our federal lands, we find ways for federal agencies to be more efficient with taxpayer dollars, and be able to overcome obstacles to work more with our state, local, and tribal entities in a collaborative process. The PACTS Act will help accomplish this, and I am proud to introduce this bill with support from my western colleagues Rep. Newhouse and Rep. LaMalfa.”
“Our National Parks face the largest maintenance backlog in our nation’s history due to burdensome red tape,” said Rep. Dan Newhouse (WA-04), Chairman of the Congressional Western Caucus. “Our states, local communities, and tribes want to help maintain our incredible National Parks, and Rep. Fulcher’s legislation will provide them the tools they need to work collaboratively and efficiently with the federal government and address the nearly $12 billion in deferred maintenance.”
“Our National Parks are one of our country’s greatest resources. Removing some of the bureaucratic hurdles in place that hinder simple park maintenance is a great step to help the Park Service be more effective and efficient with our taxpayer dollars,” added Rep. Doug LaMalfa (CA-01).
Read the full bill text here.
