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U.S. Congresswoman Debbie Dingell (MI-12) today released the following statement in celebration of the National Park Service’s Centennial. 

“Today marks 100 years since President Woodrow Wilson signed into law the act creating the National Park Service with the goal of protecting our natural wonders for the enjoyment of people all across this country. A century later, the National Park Service continues to protect and maintain the open spaces where we think and reflect; the historic sites where we learn and draw inspiration; and the lands, waters and forests where we hunt, fish, hike and enjoy the outdoors. 

“We are fortunate in Michigan to be home to many of these national treasures – from Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore and MotorCities National Heritage Area to River Raisin National Battlefield Park – all of which are vital to our way of life and the economic vitality of our local communities. As we celebrate the 100th Anniversary of the National Park Service, we must recommit to fighting for programs like the Land and Water Conservation Fund, or LWCF, which has played an important role in supporting our national parks, as well as the Centennial Act, which Congress must approve to make sure the NPS is on solid footing for the next 100 years. 

“As President Franklin Delano Roosevelt once observed, ‘There is nothing so American as our national parks.’ It is our obligation to protect these iconic and historic places so that future generations can enjoy the best of America.”