National parks, already in the crosshairs of President Donald Trump’s government downsizing effort, could lose significant funding to hire rangers because of the Republican’s tax, energy and national security megabill.
The House Natural Resources Committee advanced its portion of the package after an hourslong markup Tuesday, including a mandate to zero-out remaining dollars set aside in 2022 to hire park rangers and pay for conservation projects.
Congress had provided $500 million in the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 — President Joe Biden’s signature climate and energy law — to hire park rangers, responding to bipartisan concerns about the increase in park visitation and long-term reduction of park staff.
Another $500 million was provided in the law for both ecosystem resiliency and restoration projects in parks and on Bureau of Land Management land.
