Remarks as Prepared for Delivery for
The Honorable Dirk Kempthorne, Secretary of the Interior
Dedication of Craig Thomas Discovery and Visitor Center
Grand Teton National Park
August 11, 2007
Mary, thank you very much. With this being the eighth visitor’s center that you have shepherded into existence you are the right superintendent at the right time to lead Grand Teton National Park and I commend you for your leadership.
Ladies and gentlemen it does not get much better than this: perfect weather, a blue sky, magnificent mountains and a spectacular new visitor’s center, all being enjoyed by people who are passionate about our national parks. I come from Idaho, a state like Wyoming, who is proud of our Vice President who in Washington stands as tall as the Grand Tetons. Mr. Vice President and Lynn, Wyoming and the West welcome you home. And I also know there is a small country of grandchildren that are delighted you are here.
Being neighbors from the West, the Vice President and I share a number of things. We share a passion for the outdoors; we share a love for the Grand Tetons – one side in Wyoming and one side in Idaho. When the VP enjoys his skill of fly fishing, we share the Snake River. With all this sharing Mr. Vice President, maybe we could share a ride back to Washington on your plane.
Let me also acknowledge my wife Patricia, who next month will celebrate our 30th wedding anniversary. We were married on top of Moscow Mountain at sunrise because I don’t think there is a more beautiful cathedral than God’s creation. Let me also acknowledge a dear friend of ours: Susan Thomas.
I had the great pleasure of serving with the Wyoming Senator Mike Enzi, Mike, you and Diana, thank you for your great service and leadership. Let me also thank our National Park Director Mary Bomar, we just couldn’t have a finer director. Born in England, now a U.S. citizen, the first naturalized citizen to serve in this capacity and as you will see a lady of great class, dignity and tenacity – and that’s what we need. Let me also thank Rev. Asel for the wonderful comment and prayer that he provided.
Today we celebrate the memory of a remarkable man, Sen. Craig Thomas, the passionate partnership that built this visitor’s center, and the parks that inspire us all. Craig Thomas was a U.S. Marine, a man tough as nails, yet was a perfect Gentleman. He loved America the beautiful, especially the national parks here is Wyoming. Craig Thomas was here for the groundbreaking of this building in 2005. We are all sad that he is not here today. We miss him. I knew Craig Thomas when I was in the U.S. Senate, and I treasured his friendship and his counsel both when I was a Senator and when I became the Secretary of the Interior.
A few years ago almost to this very day I was with Craig Thomas at the dedication of the new Yellowstone visitor’s education center with Superintendent Susan Lewis. On my desk in Washington is a photograph of me and Craig talking to young people after the ceremony. For whatever reason I have kept it on my desk ever since. I have used it as a reminder that we must pass down a passion for the National Parks to the future generation. That is the legacy of Craig Thomas and it is enshrined in this center which now bears his name. To Susan Thomas, to Pat, to Craig, to all the members of the Thomas family, a grateful nation and all of Wyoming honors your husband, father, and grandfather; thank you for sharing him with us.
I know that Craig would be especially proud that the center was built in the spirit of partnership. In the west no one ever builds a barn alone – friends and family are at your side. It’s in this spirit this center was build by the friends and family that are here today. We all thank the Grand Teton assoc, the Grand Teton National Park foundation, and the National Park Service for the passion that inspired your partnership in the reality of what we are celebrating. We see that passion in this remarkable building. The unique architecture that mirrors the mountain landscape, the eco friendly construction, and the inspired state of the art exhibits. Last night as I walked through this magnificent building, I thought of the millions of people, many of them children, for generations to come who will pass through its doors. They will leave with the imagination kindled, and their hearts and minds in wonder. A young girl may be inspired to be the next Rachel Carson; a young boy may want to follow in the footsteps of John Muir.
By working in partnership, you helped write history at this park your labor of love is a gift to the American people. Just as you have made this National Park better, all across America new energy and partnerships at work ensuring that the American love affair with national parks endures.
Americans love their parks: Yosemite and Yellowstone, Grand Canyon and Grand Teton, Shiloh and Shenandoah, and many other parks that are sanctuaries of enjoyment, recreation, learning, and personal renewal. They preserve natural wonders and offer spectacular backcountry hiking. They are home to grizzles, moose, spawning salmon, and birds of all feathers. They help us keep watch over battlefields that are hallowed by red badges of courage. They keep culture alive at sites dedicated to the performing arts, poetry, and music. Urban parks introduce inner city children to outdoor wonders. Parks teach and inspire, parks are America the Beautiful, the cultural, the historical.
Last summer on the 90th anniversary of the National Parks at the Yellowstone visitor’s center dedication, I announced a directive from President Bush to prepare the parks for another century of conservation, preservation, and enjoyment. The President made it clear that this would not be a typical Washington budget exercise, but a partnership with all Americans who enjoy our parks. As a result we are asking the American people to join in meeting the challenge. In his 2008 budget, the President made the largest commitment ever to the future of our National Parks. As part of a 250 million dollar increase of operating funds, he proposed a centennial commitment of 100 millions dollars a year over the next decade – or one billion dollars – to improve both our park infrastructure and the experience of the people visiting our parks.
Since then we have been writing a great chapter in the history that offers a brighter future for National Parks. The president proposed and congress is bipartisanly approving the largest operating budget in National Park history. Here in Grand Teton, that additional funding will allow Mary next year to hire fifty-eight additional rangers and matinence workers.
In the President’s proposal, the congress on a bipartisan basis is working to approve a mandatory ten year commitment of one billion dollars of federal funds when matched by an equal amount of private donations.
Yesterday I spent five hours with our wonderful director Mary Bomar; and members of her team were doing partnership proposals that had been submitted. They included Superintendent Mike Tollefson, Superintendent Mike Reynolds, and Sue Masica. We did our work outside, inspired by the beauty of the Grand Tetons. We were equally inspired thinking about the thousands of park service employees and partners whose creativity and imagination will bring a higher level of excellence to the National Parks.
In two weeks we will announce programs and projects eligible for partnership funds. It will be an exciting announcement; what I can say today is that partnerships across America are following in the footsteps of the Grand Teton Associations and the Grand Teton National Park Foundation to improve parks all across America.
When I was here last summer I toured this center, then under construction, with me that day was Rob Wallace, Ed Riddle, Ron Walker and Clay James. They told me that they were prepared to raise all the funds necessary to build an auditorium to complete this visitor’s center. But the auditorium was rejected because it did not meet a national computer model program for a building this size. Jerry Halpan had a few things to say about this too. It did not take me long to see their passion for wanting to use this auditorium to teach young people about the environment. Nor did it take me long to get the decision reversed. I am pleased to say that design work for the auditorium is underway, the auditorium will be completed, and I hope that you will invite me back next year for its grand opening.
The spirit of the National Park system is alive and well here in Grand Teton. It is alive and well across America. It is exciting to think about what we will accomplish together for our National Parks in the next few years as we prepare for the next century of American enjoyment.
Today we celebrate a good a decent man, a wonderful man, Craig Thomas, who loved National Parks. Today we celebrate an outstanding new visitor’s center. Today we celebrate the passionate partnership that made this day possible; a spirit that promises to make our great National Park system even greater in the years to come.
When anyone gazes up at the majestic view of the Grand Tetons, I believe that people stand a little taller and thin k a little more clearly as we are inspired by nature’s handiwork on such a grand scale. God bless America.