National Park Rangers and Park Advocates Outraged by Votes Allowing Loaded Guns in National Parks

"We are disappointed in the members of the House and Senate
who allowed this amendment to pass, as well as in President Obama. By
not taking a stand to prevent this change, they have sacrificed public
safety and national park resources in favor of the political agenda of
the National Rifle Association. This amendment had no hearing or
review, and will increase the risk of poaching, vandalism of historic
park treasures, and threats to park visitors and staff."

"These are special protected places, where millions of American
families and international visitors can view magnificent animals and
majestic landscapes and experience our nation's history, including
sites where lives were lost to preserve our American ideals.

"The Reagan Administration's regulation requiring that guns carried
into these iconic places be unloaded and put away is a time-tested,
limited and reasonable restriction to carry out an important and
legitimate goal of protecting and respecting our national parks,
monuments and battlefields. It is a tremendously sad day that it has
been thrown out by political leaders from whom we expect more."

Statement by Bill Wade, Chair, Executive Council, Coalition of National Park Service Retirees:

"Passage of this legislation that would allow firearms of all kinds
in national parks is an absolute travesty. There is simply no need for
it, given the extremely low risks that visitors face in national parks
compared with everywhere else.

"Legislators who voted for this amendment now have to live with the
fact that they have, in fact, increased the risk to visitors and
employees, as well as the risk to wildlife and some cultural resources.
Moreover, they've just contributed to diminishing the specialness of
this country's National Park System. We hope the American people
register their disappointment in the actions of these legislators."

Statement by Scot McElveen, President, Association of National Park Rangers:

"Members of the ANPR respect the will of Congress and their
authority to pass laws, but we believe this is a fundamental reversal
from what preceding Congresses created the National Park System for.
Park wildlife, including some rare or endangered species, will face
increased threats by visitors with firearms who engage in impulse or
opportunistic shooting."

Statement by John Waterman, President, U.S. Park Rangers Lodge, Fraternal Order of Police:

"One should ask, what do guns have to do with credit cards? We are
disappointed that Congress chose to disregard the safety of U.S. Park
Rangers, the most assaulted federal officers, and forgo the
environmental process set up to assure the protection of our national
parks. If signed by President Obama, this will clearly be a change in
his rhetoric towards taking better care of our environment and
protecting federal employees."