ADVOCACY
NRPA Capitol Hill Day Advocacy rounds out the 2019 NRPA Annual Conference By Kate Clabaugh, MSW
F
ollowing the 2019 NRPA Annual Conference in Baltimore, NRPA’s Public Policy team and some 50 conference attendees stormed the halls of the Capitol Building in Washington, D.C., on Friday, September 27, to advocate on behalf of park and recreation priorities. It proved to be a timely event given that Congress was in the throes of final appropriations decisions for Fiscal Year 2020 with a September 30 deadline looming. A few of our members were lucky enough to get some facetime with their members of Congress, but everyone met with the staff of their senators and representative. Together, we accomplished approximately 50 meetings in just three hours, and our ask was clear — protect and strengthen the conservation, health and social equity efforts of park and recreation agencies. Specifically, we asked Congress to preserve our nation’s public spaces and ensure access to health and wellness opportunities for all by:
Nutrition Sponsoring the Summer Meals Act (S. 1908/ H.R. 2818) in or18
Parks & Recreation
der to strengthen summer meal sites, encourage new ones to open, and increase meals and children served. If included in the Child Nutrition Act Reauthorization, this bill would provide an investment in transportation, streamline administrative paperwork, allow
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sites to serve an additional meal and align site-location eligibility to match that of several federal educational grants.
Land and Water Conservation Fund Supporting the Land and Water Conservation Fund Permanent Funding Act (S. 1081/H.R. 3195). This legislation will ensure that the Land and Water Conservation Fund is fully funded. If passed, this bill will provide for more state assistance program projects that benefit every congressional district in the country.
Active Transportation Increasing funding for the Transportation Alternatives Set-Aside as Congress begins consideration