Undaunted by a defeat in the House, Utah Rep. Jim
Hansen advanced a park-closing bill by hooking it to other
legislation. On Sept. 19, the House voted 231-180 against creating
an independent park commission that would recommend parks for
elimination. Ten hours later, Hansen tacked the bill on as a rider
to the House Budget Reconciliation
Package.
“Not even Jesus came
back from the dead so quickly,” said Tom Adams with the National
Parks and Conservation Association. Adams says its inclusion as
part of the important budget bill makes House debate or a veto by
President Clinton less likely.
Allen Freemyer, a
staff member on Hansen’s subcommittee, defended the move: “I don’t
think the vote truly represents the feeling of the entire House.”
” Warren Cornwall
This article appeared in the print edition of the magazine with the headline Bill comes back from the dead.
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