Nature helps Gold Star families heal. That’s why Rep. Kiley must protect our parks | Opinion

After my son, Ken, was killed while serving his country in Iraq, I found solace in the outdoors. Whether walking on the shores of Lake Tahoe or sitting in quiet reflection at a national monument, these places gave me peace and a sense of connection to something greater than myself. That’s why I care deeply about our public lands and why I am calling on my representative, Congressman Kevin Kiley, to protect them.

Kiley represents one of the most beautiful districts in the country, home to Lake Tahoe, the Eastern Sierra, Mammoth Lakes, Death Valley National Park, Devils Postpile National Monument and a total of five national forests.

But our national parks and forests are not just places of beauty; they are economic engines.

Places like Tahoe National Forest and Death Valley National Park fuel tourism and outdoor recreation, support small businesses and generate jobs. The Tahoe Basin, for example, attracts about 15 million visitors each year. Tourism in that region generates about $4.5 billion in direct spending annually. Looking to the south, Death Valley National Park adds over $100 million to local economies and provides about 1,200 people with work.

Our national parks, forests and public lands represent the best of us. That is why I am shocked to see the firings of national parks and forest workers, including a 33% reduction of staff in the Tahoe Basin area and the only full-time wilderness ranger for the Desolation Wilderness National Forest southwest of Lake Tahoe. Those firings are forcing the closure of more than 4,000 campsites across California this summer — just in time for Americans to visit.

For Gold Star families like mine, public lands provide something even more valuable: Healing.

The National Park Service recognizes this by offering free lifetime access to national parks for Gold Star Families. Whether hiking, fishing or simply finding peace in nature, these spaces are essential for mental and emotional well-being. Preserving them means preserving a place of solace for those who have sacrificed the most.

Meanwhile, some members of Congress want to make these problems worse, not better. House Resolution 521, the “Ending Presidential Overreach on Public Lands Act,” introduced by Congresswoman Celeste Maloy, R-Utah, would effectively repeal the Antiquities Act by eliminating the ability of presidents to protect public lands for future generations as national monuments.

For over 100 years, Republican and Democratic presidents alike have used the Antiquities Act to create and expand national monuments, including 42 times in California. Some of the jewels of the National Park Service — such as Joshua Tree, Death Valley, Channel Islands, Lassen Volcanic and Pinnacles National Parks — began as national monuments. Even the Grand Canyon was originally protected under the Antiquities Act.

To date, Kiley has not taken a public position on this legislation. He previously demonstrated a commitment to conservation, opposing efforts to defund new national monuments and helping pass the Lake Tahoe Restoration Reauthorization Act of 2024, a major win for the Lake Tahoe Basin, and I’m grateful for his past leadership on these issues.

But given the importance of public lands for our economy, water security, wildfire safety and the well-being of Gold Star families like mine, I urge him to oppose the repeal of the Antiquities Act and call for the rehiring of park and forest staff in our area. These actions matter, and I hope he will continue to stand up for public lands.

Public lands should be preserved for everyone’s benefit — not handed over to special interests seeking to profit at the expense of our natural and cultural heritage. Let’s work together to ensure these lands remain a source of beauty, economic vitality and healing for generations to come.