Kaine bill to suspend park entrance fees

Sen. Tim Kaine has introduced a bill to suspend entrance fees at national parks and wildlife refuges for 16 days – the length of the government shutdown.

The Entrance Fee Suspension Act of 2013 would suspend fees at all parks and wildlife refuges from April 10 to April 25, 2014. About $480 million in park visitor spending was lost during the government shutdown, according to the National Parks Conservation Association.

The senator’s office said the bill would help local businesses such as Captain Steve’s Bait and Tackle in Chincoteague and Carrot Tree Kitchens in Yorktown that were forced to close temporarily or lost revenue during the shutdown.

“The government shutdown had a disproportionately negative impact in Virginia, particularly in communities where tourism is a primary industry like Chincoteague, Yorktown, and the Shenandoah Valley," said Kaine (D-VA). "The small businesses that rely on tourist revenue did not receive back pay for being caught in the middle of Washington budget battles.  This bill is a small achievable way that Congress can help these communities regain some of the business that was lost during the government shutdown and encourage more Americans to visit our beautiful public lands.”

The bill will also reimburse the National Park Service and Fish & Wildlife Service for lost revenue by extending customs fees. Additional funds would go toward reducing the deficit.

Text of the bill is not yet available.

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