[NYSRPS Member] Legislative Update--National Issues

Tue Jul 3 09:02:41 EDT 2007

Attention NYSRPS Members:

I hope you are all enjoying a successful start to your summer programs,
as we all celebrate Parks and Recreation Month  (If you haven't done so
yet, check out the NRPA website for information on "July is Recreation
and Parks Month").  Please take note of the following legislative
updates on a national level listed below, and enjoy a safe and
successful July 4 holiday!

Richard Rose, Legislative Chairman

NRPA DATELINE ONLINE - July 2007

Interior Spending Bill Moves through Congress Headed for a Veto Threat
by the White House

On June 27 the House of Representatives passed the Interior, Environment
& Related Agencies Appropriations Bill, totaling $27.6 billion.  The
spending bill provides substantial funding increases to discretionary
conservation programs, including $50 million for Land and Water
Conservation Fund (LWCF) state assistance (an increase of $20 million);
$152 million for Federal LWCF (an increase of $37 million);

$63 million for Forest Legacy; and $85 million for State Wildlife Grants
(the largest appropriation since 2002). The bill provided no funds for
the Urban Park and Recreation Recovery Act (UPARR), but did include
language in the bill report referencing the need for NPS to continue to
monitor UPARR projects to prevent conversions to other uses.

In other developments on this bill last week, House Democrats stymied
Republican attacks on earmarks and attempts to enact across-the-board
cuts.  However, the President is threatening to veto the bill because
the bill increases spending over 4% above last year, exceeding White
House-declared spending limits. Democrats assert that in recent years
the agencies covered under this bill, notably the Department of Interior
and EPA, have been consistently under funded, so much so that it is
equivalent to a cut of more than 15% for the past 5 years. Overall, this
bill increases Interior spending by $262 million compared to last year. 

The House bill also provides $50 million in initial matching funds for
private donations to the NPS centennial challenge. President Bush's
initiative calls for $1 billion in mandatory spending over ten years in
cooperation with corporations, friends' organizations, and donations.
Congress will then match these contributions "dollar for dollar".

Two attempts to roll back sections of the oil and gas drilling
moratorium in the outer continental shelf were defeated. One amendment,
by Rep. John Peterson (R-PA,) would have allowed only natural gas
drilling 25 miles offshore. The other, amendment offered by Rep. Mike
Conaway, (R-TX) would have re-opened offshore oil and gas leases in the
Mid-Atlantic and South Atlantic Ocean. 

In the Senate, Full Committee on Appropriations reported the FY 2008
Interior Appropriations Bill on June 21, 2007.  The Senate bill,
however, was allocated at about $500 million less than the House
version.  The Senate provided $30 million for LWCF state assistance,

$152 million for Federal LWCF, $48 million for Forest Legacy, and $72
million for State and Tribal Wildlife grants.  As in the House bill, no
funds were provided to urban parks.  This Appropriations bill will be
considered by the full Senate after the July 4th recess.  Similar to the
House, the Senate bill also provides $50 million in initial matching
funds for private donations to the NPS centennial challenge.

Advocates for increased funding for LWCF were chagrined to see that the
Senate Appropriations bill had $20 million less than the House bill for
the LWCF state assistance program.  These differing amounts must be
reconciled in a conference committee, so there is one remaining chance
to encourage Congress to do the right thing.  Advocates should contact
their Senators and urge them to match the House funding levels for LWCF
state assistance at $50 million.  You may be connected to your Senators'
offices through the Capitol Switchboard 202-887-0290, once connected,
ask for the staff that handles Interior Appropriations. Please contact
Michael Phillips mphillips at nrpa.org or 202-887-0290 for further
assistance.

Advocate for Parks and Recreation Health Promotion Legislation

This Spring two ground-breaking legislative initiatives have come to
fruition that would  enable communities to become active and healthy
through parks and recreation: The Play Every Day Act, and the Improved
Nutrition and Physical Activity Act (IMPACT). NRPA is committed to
advancing opportunities for healthy lifestyles and livable communities
for all Americans.  Public parks and recreation plays a critical role in
facilitating community wellness and quality of life.  Please take action
to advance these initiatives on Capitol Hill by contacting your
Representative and Senators.

Support the Play Every Day Act in the House (H.R. 2045) and Senate (S.
651)

The Play Every Day Bill helps promote the national recommendation of
physical activity to kids, families, and communities across the country.
The bill supports the development of a well-validated community
assessment tool, a "community play index" that can measure the policy,
program or environmental barriers in communities to youth participating
in physical activity.  This Index will be used by communities to asses
their own unique opportunities for kids to get physical activity and to
identify the gaps that exist in providing the spaces and places for kids
to play.  In addition, the legislation assists coalitions to use the
"community play index" to craft plans to promote physical activity and
wellness in communities.

Along with the two other co-convenors of the Partnership for PLAY Every
Day, NRPA recently hosted a Congressional briefing on Capitol Hill to
promote the bill.  The briefing was a tremendous success; new
co-sponsors for the legislation were identified, over 75 Hill staffers
and coalition partners attended, and new members of the Partnership for
PLAY Every Day were announced.  The briefing, entitled "Helping to
Prevent a Sedentary Generation of Youth" featured 3 community leaders
from 2 cities representing physical education, the local YMCA, and the
park and recreation department.  

NRPA also orchestrated a letter of support for the legislation and
garnered the signatures of over 55 organizations and corporations.  The
letter was delivered to Capitol Hill and will be circulated by the
bill's cosponsors to generate additional Congressional support.

Support the IMPACT Act in the House of Representatives (H.R. 2677)

The "Improved Nutrition and Physical Activity (IMPACT) Act" addresses
the growing public health problem of increasing rates of obesity, being
overweight, and eating disorders, as well as the related serious chronic
conditions.  Due to its multifaceted nature, the bill takes a broad
approach to avoid relying on a single solution to this complex problem.
Where possible, the legislation appropriately focuses on programs and
policies that have a strong evidence base.  When such information is not
available, the bill works to develop additional evidence through the use
of rigorously evaluated demonstration projects.  IMPACT takes a
collaborative, rather than confrontational, approach with the private
sector.

NRPA has been advocating for this bill since 2003.  NRPA has been
working with the primary bills sponsors, Rep Mary Bono (R-CA) and
Senator Frist (R-TN) to amend the language in the bill to allow park and
recreation agencies to be eligible entities to apply for and compete for
the grants that our outlined in the bill.  Rep. Bono reintroduced the
bill on June 13.  During the 109th Congress, former Senator Bill Frist
(R-TN) sponsored this bill in the Senate.  Physical activity and
nutrition advocates are currently waiting for a new champion in the
Senate for the bill.

Specifically, the grants fund community organizations and with new
language added to the bill,  now also include park and recreation
agencies as well to conduct a variety of activities, which have
demonstrated some benefit for curbing obesity, being overweight, and
eating disorders.  These programs focus on providing specific community
interventions, school-based activities, and health care delivery system
programs, while focusing on education, outreach, and interventional
techniques.  This program is authorized for $60 million in FY08.

HOW TO TAKE ACTION

Ask your Senators and U.S. Representatives to co-sponsor the Play Every
Day Act.  Additionally, ask your U.S. Representative to co-sponsor the
IMPACT Act.  Call the Capitol switchboard at 202-224-3121 and get
connected to the offices of your federal legislators.  Ask to speak to
the staff that handles community health issues.  Learn who your members
of congress are by going to www.congress.org
<outbind://2/www.congress.org>  . 

Additional Resources:

View a Dear Colleague letter in the House gathering support for the Play
Every Day Act in the House:

http://www.nrpa.org/content/default.aspx?documentId=5927
<http://www.nrpa.org/content/default.aspx?documentId=5927> 

View a support letter for the IMPACT Act from national organizations:

http://www.nrpa.org/content/default.aspx?documentId=5926
<http://www.nrpa.org/content/default.aspx?documentId=5926> 

SUPPORT THE YOUTH SPORTS WEEK RESOLUTION (H. RES 442)

Call your Member of Congress and encourage them to join over 50 other
Representatives in their support for the Youth Sports Week Resolution
(H. Res. 442).  This Resolution establishes the fourth week of July as
National Youth Sports Week.  The numerous benefits reaped by children's
involvement in sports - better grades, excellent interpersonal skills
and a healthier lifestyle - are especially important at a time when an
increasing number of children are battling childhood obesity.  The
Resolution recognizes that NRPA has designated July as Parks and
Recreation Month and has therefore declared youth sports week to take
place during the month of July. 

http://www.nrpa.org/content/default.aspx?documentId=5957
<http://www.nrpa.org/content/default.aspx?documentId=5957> 

NRPA's Advocacy Leads to Increase Support for CDC funding

Along with a coalition of partners, NRPA celebrated a small success from
both the House and Senate's Labor, Health and Human Services and
Education Appropriations Subcommittee in recent weeks.  In the House
bill, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Division of
Nutrition and Physical Activity received a $1.4 million increase, from

$41.25 million to $42.75 million.  The Senate bill gave the Division a

$3 million increase, from $41.25 million to $44.25 million. The bill
also specified a $1 million set aside for the CDC's National Fruit and
Vegetable Program (formerly known as the 5-A-Day program).

While, of course, more resources are needed, this is the largest
increase DNPA has received in several years. Also, this is one of the
few years the program also was given an increase on the House side.

NRPA Representatives Join National Panel on Children and Nature

NRPA Trustee Joe Wynns and NRPA Director of Public Policy Richard 

Dolesh were named to two separate panels convened by the Conservation 

Fund, a national land conservation organization, to explore ways to 

re-connect children with nature and the outdoors.  The Conservation 

Fund (TCF) intends to raise donations of $20 million over the next two 

years to fund 20 or more nationally significant projects that 

demonstrate success in connecting kids to nature and the out of doors.  

It is hoped that a number of public park and recreation agencies will 

have suitable projects that meet the criteria to be considered for 

funding.  The criteria and a brief application form will be available 

soon for interested agencies, so look for further announcements in the 

Express and on the NRPA website. 

NRPA forms Working Group to Address U.S. Access Board's Proposed 

Rulemaking on Outdoor Developed Areas

Over the next few months, the Public Policy Office will be working with 

the 19 members of a Working Group to Address the U.S. Access Board's 

Proposed rulemaking on outdoor developed areas.  On June 20, 2007, the 

Board released for public comment new accessibility guidelines for 

Federal parks and recreation areas.  As proposed, the guidelines 

address access to new or altered trails, beaches, and picnic and 

camping areas on sites managed by the Federal government.  NRPA will be 

preparing comments before the deadline of October 18, 2007 and 

participating in the two scheduled public hearings on the rulemaking in 

Colorado in July and in Washington DC in September.

NRPA Distributes Step Into Action:  A Collaborative Approach to 

Community Health and Livability

The NRPA Public Policy office has distributed over 1000 copies of the 

Step Into Action, the implementation guide for communities developed 

for the National Health and Livability Summit.  This resource offers a 

set of guidelines to provide specific action steps for park and 

recreation agencies to improve health and livability of communities 

ranging from ways to encourage general interest and awareness of these 

health issues, to specific policies that promote healthy behaviors and 

reduce risks associated with chronic diseases. These guidelines outline 

specific steps that public health agencies, organizations and leaders 

can take to collaborate with park and recreation agencies and leverage 

their existing resources.

To see Step Into Action:  visit:  

http://www.nrpa.org/content/default.aspx?documentId=5502
<http://www.nrpa.org/content/default.aspx?documentId=5502> 

NRPA Public Policy wants to know how you are using the Step Into Action 

guide in your own community.  Have you shared it with your Board?  Have 

you talked about it with staff from other public agencies?  Have you 

used it to help frame your planning and vision?  Please share your 

story of how you are using this guide. 

For additional information contact Michael Phillips at 202-887-0290 or 

email mphillips at nrpa.org .

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