Military Families National Parks Access Enhancement Act

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 9516) to amend the Federal Lands Recreation Enhancement Act to provide for lifetime National Parks and Federal Recreational Lands Passes for family members of members of the Armed Forces who lost their lives while serving their country, as amended.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and to include extraneous material on H.R. 9516, the bill now under consideration.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 9516, the Military Families National Parks Access Enhancement Act. This bill, which is led by Representative Chavez-DeRemer, expands access to free, lifetime passes to our national parks and public lands to Gold Star next of kin and families of veterans who pass away due to a service-related illness or injury.

Across the Nation, military families play a critical role in protecting our freedoms. They are the strongest base of support for the brave military servicemembers who risk their lives defending America.

When these troops make the ultimate sacrifice for our country, the emotional impact on their families is devastating. While nothing can replace a lost loved one, outdoor recreation has a proven track record of providing at least some measure of relief in times of profound tragedy.

In 2021, Congress permanently codified free lifetime passes to our national parks and public lands for Gold Star families in the Alexander Lofgren Veterans in Parks Act, a bill I proudly cosponsored and helped champion through the Natural Resources Committee.

Unfortunately, the eligibility for these passes excluded families whose relatives were killed in incidents such as hazardous training accidents or due to a service-related illness.

H.R. 9516, however, will expand access to free lifetime America the Beautiful passes to Gold Star next-of-kin family members and family members of fallen veterans. This legislation is a meaningful way to support additional families whose loved ones were lost in their selfless service to our Nation.

I commend Representative Chavez-DeRemer for spearheading this noble effort. Throughout this Congress, Representative Chavez-DeRemer has demonstrated exemplary public service by working tirelessly with Members on both sides of the aisle to better serve her constituents. She introduced this bill after receiving outreach from a constituent family whose loved one passed away on Active Duty but was not eligible for these passes. Her advocacy on behalf of her constituents and our military families is commendable.

Mr. Speaker, I reiterate my strong support for this bill, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, in closing, once again, I thank Representative Chavez-DeRemer for her efforts to introduce this meaningful legislation. This bill would help reduce the financial burden on our military families who want to visit our national parks and expand their access to the healing powers of outdoor recreation.

Mr. Speaker, I urge the adoption of this legislation, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, I support this bill. The America the Beautiful National Parks and Federal Recreational Lands Pass covers entrance fees and day- use fees at national parks, national wildlife refuges, national forests, and other Federal recreational lands.

Of these, the military lifetime pass, or Gold Star pass, is a free lifetime pass available to our veterans and certain Gold Star families who have lost a family member during military service, the ultimate sacrifice, as the chairman mentioned. However, the Gold Star pass currently includes certain limitations regarding who qualifies.

This bill would expand eligibility for the lifetime Gold Star pass to include next-of-kin family members of fallen servicemembers who are not currently eligible. Specifically, this legislation would expand access to families of servicemembers who died in Inactive- or Active-Duty training or in travel to or from training or duty stations.

Mr. Speaker, this bill would ensure that all those who have lost a family member in connection to their military service have access to our national parks and lands.

Those who have sacrificed so much for our Nation deserve this access to appreciate the wonders of our parks, historic sites, and natural beauty across the country. It is imperative that we ensure this benefit is not limited based on how a servicemember died during their service.

Mr. Speaker, I support the passage of this bill, and I urge my colleagues to do the same. I yield back the balance of my time.