Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 6599) to modify the application of temporary limited appointment regulations to the National Park Service, and for other purposes, as…
Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 6599) to modify the application of temporary limited appointment regulations to the National Park Service, and for other purposes, as amended.
Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on the bill under consideration.
Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, recently, the Office of Personnel Management questioned how the National Park Service rehired temporary seasonal employees. The NPS did not agree with OPM's interpretation of the relevant regulation but, nonetheless, complied.
OPM's directive caused confusion for Park Service hiring managers and threatened the ability of parks to open and operate as normal this past summer. Additionally, many temporary seasonal employees were unexpectedly left without a job.
H.R. 6599 addresses this issue and allows the Park Service to continue its longstanding practices in hiring its essential seasonal employees for 1 year while Congress acts to address the issue systemically.
Congressman Steve Knight of California has brought us this measure, and I would like to commend him for his leadership on the issue. Americans across the country are going to benefit from this work. I would like to thank him for his cooperation, allowing this to go forward.
Mr. Speaker, I urge adoption of the measure, and I reserve the balance of my time.
House of Representatives,
Committee on Natural Resources,
Washington, DC, September 24, 2018.
Hon. Trey Gowdy,
Chairman, Committee on Oversight and Government Reform,
Washington, DC.
Dear Mr. Chairman: On September 5, 2018, the Committee on
Natural Resources ordered favorably reported H.R. 6599, to
modify the application of temporary limited appointment
regulations to the National Park Service, and for other
purposes. While this bill was not originally referred to the
Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, I believe your
Committee has a valid jurisdictional interest in the measure.
I ask that you not seek a sequential referral of the bill
so that it may be considered by the House of Representatives
this week. This action in no way affects your jurisdiction
over the subject matter of the bill, and it will not serve as
precedent for future referrals. In addition, should a
conference on the bill be necessary, I would support your
request to have the Committee on Oversight and Government
Reform represented on the conference committee. Finally, I
would be pleased to include this letter and your response in
the bill report and in the Congressional Record.
Thank you for your consideration, and I look forward to
further opportunities to work with you this Congress.
Sincerely,
Rob Bishop,
Chairman,
Committee on Natural Resources.
Mr. Speaker, I ask for adoption of the bill, and I yield back the balance of my time.
