National Parks and Wildlife May Be Endangered Under Coburn

By Michael Combier-Talk Radio News Service

Rep. Raul Grijalva (D-AZ), chairman of the National Parks, Forests, and Public Lands Subcommittee, complained this afternoon at a news conference about the “highjacking” of the Credit Cardholder’s Bill of Rights Act by a rider sponsored by Senator Tom Coburn (R-OK). This rider would allow individuals to carry weapons such as shotguns, AK-47, and rifles into national parks in concordance with state laws.

The rider is an additional provision annexed to the Credit CardHolder’s Bill of Rights Act bu Senator Coburn. Controversial riders are often attached to a bill in order to prevent it from being passed.

Rep. Carolyn McCarthy (D-NY) and Rep. Carolyn B. Maloney (D-NY) also took part in the news conference held this afternoon and claimed the rider would be “detrimental to a hundred years of policy for national lands” such as the Grand Canyon, Yellowstone or Gettysburg.

The three Representatives sought the support of Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer and President Barack Obama in order to defend the National Park Rangers who are at risk with this rider. They pointed out that the atmosphere into which families and wildlife intermingled will no longer be the same if individuals are allowed to carry weapons.

To back up the Representative’s complaints, two retired Park Rangers were present and stressed that “parks are for families, not guns.” They added that politicians “should not deter about the specialness and uniqueness” of National Parks and that if the Coburn riber should pass, they would not feel safe to send their own kids.

Grijalva said that the “National Rifle Association is taking over both House and Senate” which McCarthy and Maloney agreed. They added that the news conference was a way for American people to put pressure on their local politicians to oppose the bill. They said it will be a very difficult vote in Congress which is supposed to hit the floor either tomorrow or Thursday.