[Introduction by _______]

[Slide 1 - "Mending Our National Parks"]

This morning, I want to address an issue that speaks to the heart of every American - and also to the economic well-being of many counties and communities across America.

That is the state of our National Parks.

When President Bush took office, he made improving the facilities and reducing the longstanding maintenance and repair backlog at our national parks one of his highest priorities for the Interior Department.

We decided that instead of taking every opportunity we could find to expand the number and size of our parks, it would be more prudent to take care of what we already have.

The President made a commitment to invest $4.9 billion to address the longstanding backlog of maintenance needs at our national parks.

This investment will pay off in the long run for both visitors to our parks and for taxpayers who support the parks. By keeping the parks facilities in shape, we won't have to spend as much money in the future to repair or replace our facilities.

It is important that the American people know that the President is fulfilling his pledge. We are successfully addressing the backlog we inherited when we took office in 2001.

[Slide 2 -- Word Slide Summarizing Economic Impact]

For many communities, national parks are not only a point of inspiration and pride but also a source of jobs and economic activity.

Each day, 1 million people visit our national parks. A recent study showed that in 2001, these visitors spent $10.6 billion within 30 to 60 miles of park.

This generated $3.1 billion in wages and salaries and directly supported 212,000 jobs.

[Slide # 3 -- Economic impact chart for Glacier, Petrified Forest and Abraham Lincoln Birthplace]

This economic benefit occurs at National Park units of all
sizes.

For example, at Glacier National Park in Montana, visitors
spent $67 million and supported 1,457 jobs.

At Petrified Forest National Park here in Arizona, visitors
spent $43 million and supported 917 jobs.

At a small park unit, Abraham Lincoln Birthplace National
Historic Site in Kentucky, spending was $7.5 million,
supporting 192 jobs.

[Slide # 4 -- Family Hiking at Yellowstone]

It is vitally important that visitors find a National Park System that is safe and accessible.

[Slide # 5 -- People at the Independence Hall]

A system where buildings and other facilities are maintained.

[Slide # 6 -- People at the Grand Canyon ]

A system where our national treasures are protected.

[Slide # 7 -- Pictures of the Park ecosystems]

A system where wildlife and ecosystems are conserved and, when necessary, restored.

[Slide #8 President Bush shoveling at Santa Monica Mountains NRA]

Under President Bush's leadership, the National Park employees have undertaken 4,000 projects in parks across the country. Visitors are seeing improved trails, more accessible campgrounds, rehabilitated visitor centers, better roads, stabilized historic structures and reduced environmental threats through better sewer, water and drinking systems.

[Slide #9 Old Faithful Inn]

Old Faithful Inn at Yellowstone is a good example of how we are meeting the challenge. The Inn is one of the most beloved landmarks in the National Park System. It was built 100 years ago by a young architect named Robert Reamer.

Reamer had a vision that buildings at national parks should fit into the landscape. He built the Old Faithful Inn out of timber and stone found within the boundaries of the park and designed it so that it seems to grow out of the very ground where it is built. Its spires and beams reach skyward six stories like an ancient forest.

Unfortunately, after a century of welcoming millions of visitors, the inn badly needs renovation.

This October, the Park Service will begin a three-year $30 million project to address the building's electrical, mechanical and structural needs as well as make it more accessible to disabled visitors. The service also is replacing outdoor lighting so that visitors will have a view of the nighttime sky that is similar to the one enjoyed by the inn's first visitors 100 years ago.

[Slide #10 Word Chart with the Three Priorities]

Overall, the President has established three priorities for the National Parks - improving repair and maintenance, preserving natural resources, and protecting visitors and employees.

[Slide #11 Chart Showing NPS Deferred Maintenance Backlog Fund]

In the area of repair and maintenance, the President has significantly increased spending for our parks in three key areas.

First, funding for facility maintenance has increased $52 million, or 94 percent, under this administration. Our four year total for repair and rehabilitation is $359 million.

Second, funding for cyclic maintenance to preserve what has been prepared and reduce future maintenance backlogs has been tripled to $41 million. Over the next four years, the President has proposed to spend $194 million on cyclic maintenance.

Finally, the President has proposed doubling funding for park roads to $320 million in the next highway bill. Over the six-year span of the new highway bill, funding would total nearly $1.9 billion.

[Slide 12 of Sewer Replacement at Yellowstone]

Many of the projects aren't as glamorous as the Old Faithful Inn. We are spending millions replacing sewer lines….

[Slide 13 of Manassas Battlefield Wall -- Before and After]

Repairing and shoring up walls and other structures….

[Slide 14 of Cape Cod National Seashore boardwalk - Before and After]

Renovating boardwalks and other pathways….

[Slide 15 of Pawtucket Canal Wall - Before and After]

Repairing canals and other water structures….

[Slide 16 Camp Bridge at Whiskeytown-Shasta-Trinity NRA]

Replacing and repairing old bridges….

[Slide 17 of GamBrill trail at Monocacy National Battlefield Park]

Rehabilitating trails…

[Slide 18 of Joshua Tree Road Before and After]

Rebuilding roads….

[Slide 19 Balchott House]

And refurbishing historic buildings.

[Slide 20 of Gateway National Recreation Area]

The Battery Gunnison at Gateway National Recreation Area in New Jersey is a good example of the positive impact these less glamorous projects can have.

Five hundred thousand people a year visited the Battery Gunnison before it was closed in 1998 to the public because it had become unsafe for the public.

For six years, it remained closed. We spent $60,000 to stabilize deteriorating concrete walls, steps and stairways. This allowed it to be reopened to the pubic this year.

[Slide 21 - Lincoln Memorial]

At the Lincoln Memorial, we committed $5.1 million to undertake a variety of projects, including repairing attic walls, installing safety lighting, and installing a hydraulic oil containment system below the site's elevators.

[Slide 22 Everglades NP]

One of the biggest challenges in our parks is ensuring clean water flows through them. Unfortunately, the water flowing through some parks has in the past been polluted. This frequently has been from damaged water systems that, in effect, have poured untreated sewage into some of our most treasured streams.

Under this administration, the National Park Service has undertaken more than 280 projects to improve water quality.

For example, we committed $4.1 million at Everglades National Park to repair a wastewater treatment system that handles 135,000 gallons a day.

[Slide 23 Padre Island - perhaps a Ridley's Sea Turtle]

We spent nearly $1 million at Padre Island National Seashore to rehabilitate water mains and move the sewer from the park's entrance station.

These projects won't be on any post cards that people send home from their vacations. But they will help ensure that the national treasures that are on the post cards will continue to be protected and conserved.

[Slide 24 -- Park Service v. Other Agencies Funding Chart]

The National Park Service's Operating Budget also reflects the President's commitment to our parks.

Compared to other non-defense federal agencies, the Park Service has received large increases in funding over the past 25 years. In fact, as this chart shows, national park operating funds have increased 352 percent since 1980 compared to overall domestic increases of 138 percent.

The Park Service's operations budget of $1.8 billion is 20 percent higher than when President Bush took office.

[Word Slide 25 "More Money Per Acre, Per Employee, Per Visitor]

We have more money today per acre, per employee and per visitor in the National Park system than at any time in the history of the parks.

Meanwhile staffing is expected to reach 20,637 in 2005, an increase of 829 employees over the 2000 level.

[Slide 26 Black Bear at Smoky Mountain NP]

Our second priority is to improve our scientific base of knowledge at our parks to help preserve their wildlife and other natural resources.

The President has committed nearly $150 million to the Park Service's Natural Resource Challenge to accomplish this goal. His budget request for 2005 is nearly three times the amount that was spent on this program in 2001.

[Slide 27 Bonneville Cutthroat Trout]

At Great Basin National Park in Nevada, for example, the funding allowed the establishment of a conservation plan for the Bonneville cutthroat trout. This helped avoid the need to list this species as threatened or endangered.

[Slide 28 Tamarisk and Melaleuca]

The Natural Resource Challenge is also addressing one of the biggest threats to our national park ecosystems - the spread of invasive species like tamarisk and melaleuca that crowd out native species.

At Dinosaur River National Monument in Colorado and Utah, for example, park staff and volunteers spent more than 3,000 hours removing tamarisk and perennial pepperwood from the Green and Yampa Rivers.

[Slide 29 -- Park Police on Pennsylvania Avenue]

Our third priority is protecting visitors and employees.

When people vacation in national parks, they expect their families to be safe. Although most parks remain safe havens, they are not immune from crime.

Violent crime, drug smuggling, border security and terrorism are all significant issues for the National Park Service. In addition, we are charged with protecting most of the nation's patriotic icons from Independence Hall to the Lincoln Memorial.

To meet this challenge, President Bush has increased the National Park Service's law enforcement budget 23.5 percent since 2001. The budget for Park Police operations has climbed 39 percent.

In addition, we have improved training and professionalism of our police force, increasing the number of full-time officers and giving special training to managers who supervise law enforcement officers.

As a result, we now have a more closely coordinated and professionally managed Park Police force.

[Slide 30 - Glacier National Park]

Our national parks are entrusted to us as a priceless inheritance to be cared for and handed down to future generations.

The Bush administration is more than fulfilling this responsibility.

Visitors to our national parks this summer will discover a park system that continues to be the best in the world and is getting better year by year.