Today, House Natural Resources Committee Ranking Republican Rob Bishop (R-Utah) sent a letter to Acting Department of the Interior (DOI) Secretary David Bernhardt regarding the measures taken at DOI to minimize the shutdown’s disruption to the American people’s safe enjoyment of our public lands.

“Among one of DOI’s most public-facing and important responsibilities is the management of approximately 85 million acres of National Park Service (NPS) properties…

 “Given this vast responsibility, DOI’s efforts to resume operations to the fullest extent practicable under the law during the current partial lapse in appropriations is greatly appreciated.  As you may recall, during the October 1-17, 2013 lapse in appropriations, the NPS, at the direction of the Obama Administration, took extraordinary measures to deny the public access to our nation’s open-air monuments, memorials, and parks.”