Press Releases

U.S. Representative Don Beyer (D-VA), with 83 U.S. House Representatives, today wrote Acting National Park Service (NPS) Director Jessica Bowron to solicit information regarding the impacts of the June 9 memo directing all NPS units to identify any public monuments, memorials, statues, markers, or similar properties that are “subjectively negative” about either past or living Americans, or that fail to emphasize the “beauty, grandeur, and abundance” of landscapes and other natural features. The lawmakers noted that in addition to disrupting NPS operations by diverting critical resources away from addressing the longstanding maintenance backlog, which could impact visitor safety, the directive also threatens the preservation of the historical and educational missions of the NPS. 

They wrote: 

“We write to request an update on the impact of your June 9 memo on educational and historical markers, monuments, and memorials that are part of the National Park System. We are greatly concerned that your memo aims to undermine cultural resources at those sites while neglecting meaningful upgrades and improvements…

“We are deeply concerned that your memo will create changes that damage valuable historical resources, disrupt NPS operations, and unnecessarily hurt our national parks and the communities that use and enjoy them…

“The history of our great nation is told through the National Park System. Historical markers, monuments, and memorials play an important role in educating Americans about that history…

“Those dedicated historical sites join hundreds more NPS units across all 50 states, which collectively welcome more than 330 million visitors every year to witness their natural beauty and learn from longstanding educational resources, including signs and others interpretative materials. None of those sites can, or should, be separated from the history that makes them part of our nation’s fabric… 

“Instead, your memo will further divert resources away from deferred maintenance, an infamous issue within the Park Service. The NPS maintenance backlog affects all aspects of parks, including not only historical markers, monuments, and memorials, but also basic signage essential for visitor safety. Addressing that backlog should be NPS’ utmost priority in updating or changing cultural resources, rather than neglecting safety and the visitor experience in pursuit of censorship and erasure…”

The letter to Acting Director Bowron was sent by U.S. Representative Don Beyer (D-VA), House Committee on Natural Resources Ranking Member Jared Huffman (D-CA), and Representatives Gabe Amo (D-RI), Becca Balint (D-VT), Nanette Barragán (D-CA), Sanford Bishop (D-GA), Suzanne Bonamici (D-OR), Brendan Boyle (D-PA), Julia Brownley (D-CA), Janelle Bynum (D-OR), Troy Carter (D-LA), Ed Case (D-HI), Sean Casten (D-IL), Joaquin Castro (D-TX), Judy Chu (D-CA), Yvette Clarke (D-NY), Emanuel Cleaver (D-MO), James Clyburn (D-SC), Steve Cohen (D-TN), Jason Crow (D-CO), Sharice Davids (D-KS), Danny Davis (D-IL), Diana DeGette (D-CO), Chris Deluzio (D-PA), Maxine Dexter (D-OR), Lloyd Doggett (D-TX), Sarah Elfreth (D-MD), Adriano Espaillat (D-NY), Dwight Evans (D-PA), Shomari Figures (D-AL), Laura Friedman (D-CA), Valerie Foushee (D-NC), John Garamendi (D-CA), Jesús “Chuy” García (D-IL), Dan Goldman (D-NY), Maggie Goodlander (D-NH), Chrissy Houlahan (D-PA), Jonathan Jackson (D-IL), Sara Jacobs (D-CA), Hank Johnson (D-GA), Sydney Kamlager-Dove (D-CA), Robin Kelly (D-IL), Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-IL), Stephen Lynch (D-MA), Seth Magaziner (D-RI), Doris Matsui (D-CA), Jennifer McClellan (D-VA), Jim McGovern (D-MA), LaMonica McIver (D-NJ), Kweisi Mfume (D-MD), Dave Min (D-CA), Joe Morelle (D-NY), Seth Moulton (D-MA), Jerry Nadler (D-NY), Joe Neguse (D-CO), Chris Pappas (D-NH), Brittany Pettersen (D-CO), Chellie Pingree (D-ME), Mike Quigley (D-IL), Jamie Raskin (D-MD), Mary Gay Scanlon (D-PA), Jan Schakowsky (D-IL), Bobby Scott (D-VA), Terri Sewell (D-AL), Lateefah Simon (D-CA), Adam Smith (D-WA), Greg Stanton (D-AZ), Marilyn Strickland (D-WA), Suhas Subramanyam (D-VA), Emilia Sykes (D-OH), Mark Takano (D-CA), Bennie Thompson (D-MS), Jill Tokuda (D-HI), Paul Tonko (D-NY), Ritchie Torres (D-NY), Nydia Velázquez (D-NY), James Walkinshaw (D-VA), Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-FL), Bonnie Watson Coleman (D-NJ), Nikema Williams (D-GA), Frederica Wilson (D-FL) and Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC).

A signed copy of the letter is available here.