Approps Chairman Obey's Son Lobbies for Park Money

Amanda Carpenter | January 28, 2009 10:57 AM

There’s a curious disparity in the amount of money allocated for national parks between the House and Senate versions of the stimulus bill.

The Senate version would give $802 million to National Parks, while the House version of the bill, being voted on today, would give a whopping $2.25 billion.

It might help that the National Parks Conservation Association’s Senior Vice President of Government Affairs, aka lobbyist, is closely connected to House Appropriations Chairman David Obey (D.-Ohio).

The NPCA's chief lobbyist is Obey’s son, Craig Obey. And Chairman Obey has a powerful role in distributing tax dollars for special projects and funds, like national parks, as the most senior person on the Appropriations Committee.

Think that might have anything to do with the billion increase in aid? The NPCA issued a statement yesterday that said the Senate's $800 million was "disappointing" and "called on Congress and the Administration to support the more aggressive national park investment included in the House bill."

I put an inquiry in with the NPCA's communications team to find out if Craig Obey lobbied for money in the stimulus bill.