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Senators and Representatives Rally Support for LWCF State Assistance

For more information: http://www.nps.gov/lwcf and also www.nrpa.org

From the National Recreation and Park Association

What's Happening: Members of Congress are circulating "Dear Colleague" letters in the House and the Senate urging members of Congress to join in support for funding the Land Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) state assistance program for FY 2008.

The President has proposed to terminate this successful partnership program (administered by the National Park Service) which provides 50/50 matching grants to help communities acquire local and state parks and develop outdoor recreation resources. A similar effort by Congress last year saved the program from termination and the resulting $30 million appropriations could allow around 400 grants to aid state and local park and recreation projects across the nation.

What Needs to be Done: We need your help again to stop this threat of termination and restore adequate funding the to the LWCF state assistance program. Ask your legislators to sing-on to these letters of support!

Who's Doing It:

In the House Representatives- Reps. James McGovern (D-MA), Rep. Rush Holt (D-NJ), and Rep. Peter King (R-NY) are circulating a letter requesting $100 million for LWCF State Assistance. To date, 72 Representatives have signed on to date. Is your Representative signed-on? Check the list, and if not, please make the call today. Every single member is needed. The House letter will be accepting signatures until March 15, but may be extended.

The House letter can be viewed by clicking the following link:

http://www.nrpa.org/content/default.aspx?documentId=5367

The House co-signers are: Abercrombie (D-1st HI), Ackerman (D-5th NY), Allen (D-1st ME), Baird (D-3rd WA), Baker (R-6th LA), Baldwin (D-2nd WI), Biggert (R-13th IL), Boucher (D-9th VA), Brown, Henry (R-1st SC), Capito (R-2nd WV), Capuano (D-8th MA), Christensen (D-VI), Clay (D-1st MO), Cleaver (D-5th MO), Coble (R-6th NC), Conyers (D-14th MI), Costa (D-20th CA), Crowley (D-7th NY), Davis (R-11th VA), Doggett (D-25th TX), Doyle (D-14th PA), Emanuel (D-5th IL), Engel (D-17th NY), Fortuno (R-PR), Fossella (R-13th NY), Gerlach (R-6th PA), Holt (D-12th NJ), Hooley (D-5th OR) Johnson, Hank (D-4th GA), King, Peter (R-3rd NY), Kucinich (D-10th OH), Langevin (D-2nd RI), Lantos (D-12th CA), LaTourette (R-14th OH), Levin (D-12th MI), LoBiondo (R-2nd NJ), Maloney (D-14th NY), Markey (D-7th MA), McCarthy (D-4th NY), McCotter (R-11th MI), McDermott D-7th WA), McGovern (D-3rd MA), Michaud (D-2nd ME), Miller, George (D-7th CA), Moore, Dennis (D-3rd KS), Jim Moran (D-8th VA), Murphy (D-5th CT), Nadler (D-8th NY), Neal (D-2nd MA), Oberstar (D-8th MN), Pallone (D-6th NJ), Payne (D-10th NJ), Perlmutter (D-7th CO), Petri (R-6th WI), Price (D-4th NC), Reyes (D-16th TX), Saxton (R-3rd NJ), Schwartz (D-13th PA), Scott (D-13th CA), Skelton (D-4th MO), Smith (D-9th WA), Snyder (D-2nd AR), Space (D-18th OH), Stark (D-13th CA), Sutton (D-13th OH), Terry (R-2nd NE), Udall, Mark (D-2nd CA), Van Hollen (D-8th MD), Walsh (R-25th NY), Wilson, Charlie (D-6th OH), Wu (D-1st OR)

In the Senate -Senators Susan Collins (R-ME) and Ken Salazar (D-CO), are circulating a letter that requests $125 million for LWCF State Assistance in the 2008 budget. Signatures will be accepted until the end of March.

To view the Senate letter click the following link:

http://www.nrpa.org/content/default.aspx?documentId=5366

The Senate co-signers are: Baucus (D-MT), Biden (D-DE), Boxer (D-CA), Cantwell (D-WA), Cardin (D-MD), Clinton (D-NY), Collins (D-ME), Dodd (D-CT), Dole (R-NC), Durbin (D-IL), Feingold (D-WI), Harkin (D-IA), Kennedy (D-MA), Kerry (D-MA), Klobuchar (D-MN), Kohl (D-WI), Levin (D-MI), Lieberman (I-CT), Lincoln (D-AR), Menendez (D-NJ), Obama (D-IL), Reed (D-RI), Salazar (D-CO), Sanders (I-VT), Snowe (R-ME), Warner (R-VA), Wyden (D-OR)

What You Can Do: Call the U.S. Capitol Switchboard at 202-224-3121 and ask for the phone numbers of your 2 Senators and your Representative. When connected, tell them who you are and where you are calling from. Ask to speak to the staff person that handles Interior Appropriations. Tell them you are a constituent and an advocate for the Land and Water Conservation Fund state assistance program. If you are calling your Representative ask them to sign-on to the McGovern- King- Holt "Dear Colleague" letter requesting $100 million in funding for Land and Water Conservation Fund State Assistance in the 2008 budget. If you are calling a Senator ask them to sign-on to the Salazar-Collins "Dear Colleague" letter requesting $125 million in funding for Land and Water Conservation Fund State Assistance in the 2008 budget. Please call all three of your U.S. legislators-your Representative and both of your Senators.

To explain why they should support your request, use these key points:

You oppose the President's proposal to eliminate the Land and Water Conservation Fund State Assistance program from the federal budget in FY 2008 because this is a valuable program that has produced many positive results in your state and your community.

LWCF State Assistance totals $575 million over the last 6 years. This is an average of almost $100 million each year.

98% of American counties have received LWCF grants including yours.

If you know what LWCF State Assistance has done for your community, tell which parks and recreation resources it has aided, and what a positive impact this has had in your district. (You can find projects in your county by going to http://www.nps.gov/lwcf/

The LWCF state/local program matches funds 50/50 to assist in parks and recreation to create new public parks and develop public recreation resources. Local and state governments match the federal investment dollar for dollar, and often, many times more. Local communities agree to protect the parks in perpetuity and make them open for recreation and public access.

These funds help to develop sports fields, neighborhood parks, and community gathering places.

LWCF serves a vital national need-- the need to get the American public active and healthy, which they can best do by recreating at close-to-home recreation facilities and parks aided by the LWCF State Assistance.

In the 40 year life of the LWCF, nearly 40,000 local and state projects have been completed. Virtually every one of these recreation resources is still in existence today.

If you are unsure who your U.S. legislators are you can type in your zip code at www.congress.org or ask the just ask the Capitol Switchboard operator at 202-224-3121.

Be sure to thank any legislator that has signed on, and if you gain their support, send a thank you. Please report feedback from congressional offices to mphillips@nrpa.org or call 202-887-0290.

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