Republican Congressman Proposes ‘No More National Parks’ Bill to Punish Obama for Approving California Monument

Republican Congressman Proposes ‘No More National Parks’ Bill to Punish Obama for Approving California Monument

by Laurin Suiter

As sure as John Boehner wakes up every day with a hangover, you can always be certain that when President Obama is for something, the Tea Party Congress is against it.  If the White House issued a proclamation tomorrow morning saying that the sky is blue, the House Republicans would release a statement by noon stating that no, the sky is green.

Such is the fate of the National Park Service and the protection of our public lands.  Rep. Rob Bishop (R-UT) and Rep. Doc Hastings (R-WA) are spearheading a new “No More National Parks” policy.  Next week they will introduce H.R. 1459, a regressive measure which would amend the Antiquities Act of 1906, restricting its presidential powers, among other rollbacks.

This legislative tantrum erupted last week when the president used the venerable 108-year old law to expand the California Coastal Monument.  Clearly, Obama is an out-of-control dictator, protecting public lands by exercising a power that 15 presidents of both parties -- including George W. Bush himself -- have used since Teddy Roosevelt.

In Bishop’s words, “the House was punked by the President.”  Putting aside his disregard for precedent, is this a sincere effort to rein in presidential excess?  Will the Constitution ring loudly with freedom once again if we return all public lands protection under the care of Congress?

If only it were so.  Just last week, a bill passed that included a passage for protecting lands at the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore.  Until then, Congress had not passed a single measure to protect public lands since 2009, the longest stretch of inaction since World War II.  Add to this their cynical government shutdown last fall that closed the National Parks and cost the government $414 million in lost revenue from visitors.  This has nothing to do with the balance of powers and everything to do with opposing Obama for the sake of opposing Obama.

Let us review the simple and straightforward text from Section 2 of the Antiquities Act:

[box type="shadow"]“That the President of the United States is hereby authorized, in his discretion, to declare by public proclamation historic landmarks, historic and prehistoric structures, and other objects of historic or scientific interest that are situated upon the lands owned or controlled by the Government of the United States to be national monuments, and may reserve as a part thereof parcels of land…”[/box]

H.R. 1459 not only wants to put monument designations under the sole review of Congress, it seeks to put caps on the president’s powers stated above, and to give localities the power to review environmental impact.  In other words, putting land that belongs to all us under the jurisdiction of a local body.  While the idea of virtuous local government control is a conservative conceit, it is in this case a simple usurpation of public sovereignty over National Parks land.

The National Parks are wildly popular with the American people, as most favor expanding national parks and other public venues for outdoor recreation. Even in the West, a bi-partisan survey found that nearly 70% of voters favor candidates who support public lands protection.

If by any chance it passed the House, it is not expected that H.R. 1459 would get through the Senate.  President Obama would quickly veto it regardless.  This is the Tea Party Congress doing what it does best -- polluting our system of checks and balances with rabidly partisan frothing.  Our National Parks, and we who pay for the privilege of their enjoyment, deserve better.

h/t: Think Progress

Laurin Suiter