Expressing support for maintaining the designation of the Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area.

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 1444 Introduced in House (IH)]

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119th CONGRESS
  2d Session
H. RES. 1444

  Expressing support for maintaining the designation of the Delaware
                  Water Gap National Recreation Area.

_______________________________________________________________________

                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             July 21, 2026

   Mr. Kean (for himself and Mr. Gottheimer) submitted the following
  resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Natural Resources

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION

  Expressing support for maintaining the designation of the Delaware
                  Water Gap National Recreation Area.

Whereas the Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area--

    (1) is a national recreation area located in New Jersey and
Pennsylvania, encompassing nearly 70,000 acres;

    (2) provides numerous opportunities for recreation to visitors and
local residents, including fishing, hunting, hiking, boating, camping,
canoeing, and others;

    (3) is home to numerous rare, threatened, and endangered species of
plants and animals;

    (4) is managed as a national recreation area, a unit of the National
Park System established by Congress to promote recreation and public access
in close cooperation with surrounding municipalities and gateway
communities; and

    (5) has at times been the subject of proposals to change the
designation of the Delaware Water Gap from a national recreation area to a
national park and preserve;

Whereas, if enacted, a redesignation of the Delaware Water Gap National
        Recreation Area as a national park and preserve would--

    (1) limit or prohibit access to certain recreational activities in
certain areas of the park currently enjoyed by visitors and local
residents;

    (2) result in more centralized Federal management and a corresponding
reduction in the longstanding cooperative relationship with surrounding
municipalities and gateway communities; and

    (3) cause significant strain on the infrastructure and resources
surrounding the Delaware Water Gap and financial and economic losses to the
surrounding area; and

Whereas it is fitting and proper for the House of Representatives to express
        opposition to proposals, such as those to change the designation of the
        Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area from a national recreation
        area to a national park and preserve, in order to--

    (1) protect the freedom of local residents and visitors to enjoy all of
the recreational activities the Delaware Water Gap has to offer;

    (2) preserve the longstanding cooperative relationship between the
surrounding communities and Federal agencies in managing this area; and

    (3) prevent further strain on local resources and economic losses that
may result: Now, therefore, be it

    Resolved, That it is the sense of the House of Representatives
that--
            (1) the Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area should
        remain designated as a national recreational area;
            (2) Congress should continue to support this and other
        national recreational areas to protect local access to outdoor
        recreational opportunities;
            (3) Congress should continue to foster strong, locally
        driven relationships with communities surrounding and nearby
        our natural and tourism resources; and
            (4) no funds should be used to support the redesignation of
        the Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area as a national
        park and preserve.
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