Afternoon at the Capitol: The Congressional Recognition Reception

NRPA Congressional Recognition Reception

 It was St. Patrick’s Day, so how fitting that we would get held up on our post-lunch walk to the Capitol by the Irish Prime Minister’s visit.  We all stood waiting on the presidential motorcade to cross the street for the Congressional Recognition Ceremony that afternoon, and as we waited, we enjoyed the March sunshine and took in the mix of tourists, protesters, vociferous street preacher, and impatient Hill staffers.  The street was buzzing with murmurs about what the President’s schedule had been and when the motorcade would pass through. 

It had been a long time since I had been in Washington on a regular work day, and I remembered part of what I’d loved about the city as a fresh-out-of-college paralegal.  People in D.C. may be over-scheduled and tightly wound, but they do get excited about being close to world events—and to the President himself.  And the friendly chatter on the street fed into my excitement about the awards reception I was heading to—in the Atrium of the Capitol Visitor Center.

For me, a writer who is often conducting interviews by phone or sitting behind a desk, it was a treat just to mingle with NRPA members and colleagues.  But in that setting—and in between stirring speeches by the award recipients—it was a grand and lovely experience.  An afternoon of going back and forth between, for example, chatting with Wyoming’s state parks director about skiing with his kids, and taking in sound bites from lawmakers passionate about parks and the outdoors.  Here’s a pastiche from the various acceptance speeches:

From Georgia Congressman John Lewis: “Parks bind us together. They get us outside…get us moving. They create community. They serve all races, all ages and all abilities. They are sacred; they are special.” 

And from Cynthia Lummis, a Wyoming Congresswoman: "I’m deeply grateful that you gather and that you represent the interests of parks and recreational opportunities for people all over our country, who have differing abilities to enjoy the outdoors, and you make it possible for so many to do that."

And, finally, this very personal reflection from New Jersey Congressman Albio Sires: “When I look back on my life on the things that were important…I realize that’s [in parks] where I made my friends, that’s what got me through college, that’s where I relaxed, that’s where I spent a lot of my time."

I looked around at my NRPA colleagues, most of whom have been working on behalf of parks a lot longer than I have—and I saw smiles of appreciation and enjoyment. And some standing on tiptoes to get a better view of each of the speakers.  It’s wonderful when anyone really understands the value of what you are advocating for day-in, day-out—and even better when people with the power to make change understand.  Acknowledging and commending the work of those legislators was encouraging, I think, for the recognizers as well as those recognized. Despite the fatigue that was setting in at the end of that jam-packed day.  Despite sore feet from standing on marble floors and traipsing all over Capitol Hill.  

During the two-hour commute from downtown D.C. back to Loudoun County that evening, I thought a lot about how worthwhile this work of preserving and protecting parks is.  And, in a time when our nation is so polarized over what is worth spending public monies on, how good it is to see some agreement right inside the Capitol dome on the value of our open spaces, our trails, our health, our community bonds, and our children’s play.

Maureen Hannan

Senior Editor

Parks & Recreation Magazine

Maryland Parks Go to Washington: Shadowing our Members on Capitol Hill

The group of Maryland NRPA members I shadowed was fortunate:  Their Hill visits were with lawmakers sympathetic to parks.  I heard a couple of stories as we navigated the halls of the Longworth building about past meetings with brusque, impassive, or even hostile representatives.  And, budget issues being what they are, I would not have been surprised to find an edge of tension in the room.  But these were cordial visits, and the aides were welcoming and attentive.

The first visit was to Congressman Chris Van Hollen’s office.  Van Hollen’s aide ushered us in, seated us in a little conversational grouping around a coffee table, and motioned with his legal pad for us to begin the spiels. 

The first to speak was Rose Colby, from Prince Georges County’s parks and rec agency.  A well spoken, thoughtful, matter-of-fact woman, she prefaced her comments with an acknowledgment of how supportive Rep. Van Hollen has been of parks.  She then outlined a few of the key issues we had all been briefed on by NRPA’s policy experts that morning.  Glancing down briefly at the summary card from the folder, Rose addressed the Centers for Disease Control and Preventions Healthy Communities Program.  She outlined the position of NRPA (and her own agency) that Healthy Communities funding should be maintained at $22.7 million in FY12.  The aide asked a couple of questions—questions that demonstrated that he had both a working knowledge of the legislation and a desire to understand better what was at stake.

So far, so good. 

Rose handed the baton to Dalton Mann, a citizen member with a long history of park involvement.  Dalton’s talking point was the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF).  True to the morning’s coaching, but in his own impassioned style, Dalton hit on the high points of LWCF, emphasizing the reasonableness of authorizing 40% of the fund for stateside funding.  (When the LWCF was first created in the 1960s, 60% had actually been earmarked for stateside—and the message NRPA is working so hard to drive home is that 40% is both true to the intent of the original legislation and a perfect, tax-hike-free way to support parks.) The aide had no questions this time—he simply nodded noncommittally and took notes.  (As a newbie, my take on all of this was that 40% is not a bad thing to shoot for at all—and that NRPA’s arguments are sound.  But that, airtight arguments aside, there’s probably an all-out feeding frenzy going on around the LWCF pot.) 

Dalton wrapped up his LWCF points, and then it was time for Paul Dial, head of Frederick County’s park department, to speak to some remaining points about transportation and environmental/outdoor education.  Paul had the quiet authority of someone who really is just trying to do his job and serve the needs of his customers.  He’s clearly not the kind of guy who gravitates toward politicking—but, as he told me later, he does make sure to make his voice heard at Leg Forum each hear.  He talked to Van Hollen’s aide about the brand-new nature center his agency just opened—and how closely the nature center will be partnering with the county’s schools. 

The upshot?  Park and recreation agencies should be able to partner with schools for State Environmental Literacy Plans—and receive some of the funding that goes along with that functional relationship.  As I sat there taking it all in, I gave Paul major points for bringing federal-level legislative issues down to something as concrete and immediate as the service a local nature center provides in educating schoolchildren.

Paul then told about all that Frederick County is doing to connect parks through trails—and to make for a healthier, more livable community.  He also made sure to note what that enhanced quality of life does for home values, no matter what the economic climate.  The aide, as it turns out, likes to camp with his family in a park that is located in Frederick County.  He was unaware of all that is happening to connect parks through trails, and he seemed excited about the prospect.

A reminder that legislators and their aides (and their families) need and love parks and open spaces, too. Legislators at all levels of government, not just Capitol Hill.  But, I must admit, I especially liked thinking about all of the bustling, appointment-minded Hill people shedding their suits for jeans and hiking boots to pack up the minivans and find a little serenity and family time.  Parks humanize and restore us all—and at some level, I think we all recognize that.

Maureen Hannan

Senior Editor

Parks & Recreation Magazine

Visit to Legislative Forum: A Crash Course in Park Advocacy

Capitol Hill has always seemed like alien territory to me.  I like writing about policy, and I like learning about policy.  But something about the Hill--and all of its staffers and lingo and inner circles and very young people in power suits—has just always made it seem like a small, distant, white-dome-dominated foreign country to me.  Then again, I never had anyone act as a guide, either….

Early yesterday morning, I joined NRPA members and coworkers at the Grand Hyatt in Washington, where we gathered to begin the second day of the annual NRPA Legislative Forum.  I was there to watch, listen, Tweet, learn, meet, greet, and shadow members in their visits with legislators.  I went anticipating a day of good, solid “prepping” for writing about the Forum. And I came away with much more than context for an article.  When I went home at the end of that jam-packed day, I took with me a fresh understanding of advocacy—and an even greater appreciation for both the sophistication of our members and the essential public policy role that NRPA plays. 

Let me explain a little bit about what the experience was like, from the perspective of a writer who is still learning about the history, value, and power of parks in our country.  

The morning session opened with a talk by NRPA’s policy experts, Rich Dolesh, Stacey Pine, and Joel Pannell.  They outlined talking points on critical messages to lawmakers of the 112^th Congress—but not before Joel discussed some Policy 101.  Such important matters as the distinction between spending authorization and appropriation.  We also got a crash course in the history of the Land and Water Conservation Fund and the reasons why LWCF makes for such a magnificent talking point.  (No tax dollars at stake here!  Getting a 40% stateside authorization passed is about sticking with the original intent of a fund drawing from oil companies drilling from the Outer Continental Shelf.) Stacey and Rich then filled in some of the blanks about transportation and health issues affecting federal funding for the nation’s parks.

We were prepared for the next step:  to take the glossy, information-rich NRPA talking-points folders in hand and climb onto buses heading over to the Hill.  Time to fan out and keep appointments with legislators. My colleague, Managing Editor Beth Beard (a Maryland resident) asked me if I’d like to join up with the Maryland Recreation & Park Association members she’d connected with.  

For the next two hours, I would watch our members in action, explaining passionately and articulately to Congressional and Senate aides the opportunities in front of the lawmakers of the 112^th right now to protect parks and thereby enrich their constituents’ lives.  I’ll tell you all about that introduction to clear-headed member advocacy in the next post. 

Maureen Hannan
Senior Editor
Parks & Recreation Magazine