1. United States
2. Mont.
3. Letter

I am dismayed at the recent firing of National Park Service, BLM, and Forest Service employees. This will make outdoor recreation less accessible and less safe, dramatically reduce the $55 billion the NPS brings into our economy each year, and reduces our ever-growing deficit by an amount so minuscule, it requires three zeros after the decimal point. In Montana alone, in 2023, non-residents spend over $5.45 billion on tourism and recreation. This tourism is extremely important to the economy of Montana. Non-resident travel directly supports over 66,000 jobs in Montana. For fiscal year 2024, non-resident tourists also generated over $414 million in state and local taxes, reducing the average tax burden on every Montana household. Tourism also supports Montana communities and residents by allowing more air service, restaurants, shops, and other recreational and historic sites to exist than the state's population could support on its own. These actions by the Trump administration directly impact that livelihoods of the Montanans you claim to care about representing. As your constituent, and someone who will be voting in a few years based on how you show up here, I'm asking you to advocate for the reinstatement of those positions and at minimum, restore the 2024 budget for the NPS. I am also asking you to publicly demand seasonal hiring proceed for the NPS. The federal hiring freeze, although listing exemptions for seasonal employment, is still blocking NPS hiring for the peak summer season. Seasonal staff at National Parks are absolutely essential for the management of the park and safety of its visitors. Senator Sheehy, your name was not on the list of signatures for the February 7th letter to Doug Burgum. I urge you to publicly push for an immediate exemption for NPS seasonal employees for the protection of our National Parks. This is not a partisan issue; our public lands belong to all of us, and are a big part of what makes America so beautiful. I, and your other constituents, As an elected official, you work for us. Do not disappoint us. Thank you. will be watching what you do here very closely.