Senate Passes Portman's Bipartisan "Kids to Parks Day" Resolution

Press Release

U.S. Senators Rob Portman (R-OH), Ron Wyden (D-OR), Lamar Alexander (R-TN), Martin Heinrich (D-NM), Mazie K. Hirono (D-HI), and Cory Booker (D-NJ) applauded the passage of their bipartisan resolution, which encourages children to get outdoors by designating May 19 National Kids to Parks Day.

First celebrated by the National Park Trust in 2011, the eighth annual Kids to Parks Day marks the beginning of a summer-long series of events at state parks countrywide that promote outdoor recreation and active, healthy living. The Senate passed the resolution by unanimous consent on Monday evening.

"It is important that we encourage younger generations to enjoy and experience the outdoors, and as a frequent visitor to our national parks I'm pleased that thousands of kids in Ohio will be visiting and learning about these national treasures on Kids to Parks Day," Portman said. "I am proud to support the Kids to Parks Day Resolution to encourage more young people and their families to visit our treasured national parks."

"Oregon is home to a wealth of outdoor recreation opportunities for people of all ages to enjoy," Wyden said. "Kids to Parks Day serves as an important way for young Oregonians to connect with healthy outdoor recreation and take advantage of everything our local, state, and national parks have to offer."

"In this age of smartphones and tablets, our national parks are even more, not less, important. Children are able to escape their digital diet to feast on a world of natural splendor and learn history in a place where history comes alive," Alexander said. "I know a little bit about this -- I grew up in Maryville, Tenn., which is next to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, and the park looms large in many of my childhood memories. It is my hope that children across the country will take some time to celebrate Kids to Parks Day on May 19 and create their own memories."

"Our national parks and public lands are outdoor classrooms with endless opportunities to learn and make memories," Heinrich said. "Connecting kids to the outdoors can inspire a lifelong connection to conservation, while reaping all of the health benefits that go along with an active lifestyle. I encourage families to celebrate and explore the outdoors at Kids to Parks Day events taking place in New Mexico and across the country."

"Kids to Parks Day encourages a lifelong love for the outdoors and our public lands," Hirono said. "I encourage Hawaii families to take advantage of Kids to Parks Day activities by visiting the more than 50 state and national parks across Hawaii."

"In New Jersey, and all across the country, our parks are a national treasure that allow Americans to immerse themselves in our natural environment and the great outdoors," Booker said. "Kids to Parks Day encourages kids and families to enjoy our state and national parks, while helping instill a love and appreciation for the great outdoors among the next generation."

More than 1 million people participated in last year's Kids to Parks Day, according to the National Park Trust.