Protect & fund NPS & federal lands in the budget bill

**Fully Fund National Parks to Protect America's Natural Heritage** I am writing to urge you to prioritize the protection of our federal lands, national parks, and monuments in this year's budget and beyond. The current state of our National Park Service (NPS) is alarming, with a 25% loss in permanent staff due to mass firings, buyouts, early retirements, and resignations. This severe understaffing is compromising the NPS's ability to fulfill its crucial mission of preserving our natural and cultural resources for future generations. The maintenance backlog for park infrastructure has ballooned to nearly $23 billion, a figure that will only grow without immediate action. We must fully fund this backlog to ensure it can be cleared within the next few years, rather than allowing our public lands and facilities to deteriorate further. This investment is not just about maintaining aesthetics; it's about preserving ecosystems, protecting wildlife, and ensuring safe access for millions of visitors. It is critical that we restore and expand scientific and monitoring programs within our parks. Many of these essential programs have been reduced or eliminated, leaving our parks vulnerable to unchecked ecological changes and hindering proper wildlife management. Biologists, geologists, and ecologists are not luxury personnel – they are fundamental to the health and longevity of our public lands. The budget and staffing cuts implemented earlier this year by this administration have left our national treasures at risk. We need a commitment to fully staff not just the National Park Service, but also the National Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management. These agencies work in concert to protect the diverse landscapes that define America's natural heritage. By investing in our public lands now, we safeguard them for our children and grandchildren. This is not just an environmental imperative but an economic one as well. Our national parks drive tourism, support local economies, and provide irreplaceable recreational opportunities for millions of Americans. Please ensure that this year's budget, and those in the future, provide the necessary funding to staff our public land agencies adequately, clear the maintenance backlog, and reinstate critical scientific programs and wildland firefighting staff. Our natural heritage hangs in the balance, and your leadership on this issue is crucial. Act now to protect America's treasured lands for generations to come.