U.S. Senator Ken Salazar Member: Finance, Agriculture, Energy, Ethics and Aging Committees 2300 15^th Street, Suite 450 Denver, CO 80202 | 702 Hart Senate Building, Washington, D.C. 20510
For Immediate Release Wednesday, May 07, 2008		CONTACT: Stephanie Valencia – 202-494- 8790 Cody Wertz – 303-350-0032
Salazar Backed Bill to Provide Discount to Veterans at National Parks Passes Senate Energy Committee WASHINGTON, DC – Today, the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee unanimously passed legislation backed by U.S. Senator Ken Salazar (D-CO) and sponsored by Senator Gordon H. Smith (R-OR) that would provide veterans with a discounted pass card to all national parks and fee areas in public lands. “This discount is a small price to pay to help honor the service our veterans have given to our great nation,” said Senator Salazar. “It will encourage our nation’s veterans to visit the pristine national parks and landscapes that make America so beautiful and for which they have fought so hard to defend.” Presently, anyone may purchase an America the Beautiful lands pass for $80.00, which grants them access to any federal park, national forest or wildlife refuge. The Veterans Eagle Parks Pass Act (S. 617/H.R. 652) would make an annual pass to our national parks and all federally operated recreation sites available to veterans for just $10.00. Discounted passes are already available to senior citizens and permanently disabled persons. Now that the bill has been passed by the Senate Energy Committee it will now go to the full Senate for consideration. ###