Feb 13th, 2013 at 8:00AM: The National Parks Conservation Association is looking to send a message to the folks in Washington, D.C., and they'd like our help in doing it.
The non-profit organization is dedicated to protecting and preserving America's national parks for future generations, but with potential budget cuts looming the fear is that members of Congress may have forgotten just how special those places truly ...Click on a label to read posts from that part of the world.
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The National Parks Conservation Association Wants Your Photos!
Feb 13th, 2013 at 8:00AM: The National Parks Conservation Association is looking to send a message to the folks in Washington, D.C., and they'd like our help in doing it.
The non-profit organization is dedicated to protecting and preserving America's national parks for future generations, but with potential budget cuts looming the fear is that members of Congress may have forgotten just how special those places truly ...Congress Seeks To Make Bison America's 'National Mammal'
Jun 3rd, 2012 at 8:00AM: Earlier this week, Wyoming Senator Mike Enzi introduced a bill to congress that seeks to make the bison America's "national mammal." The bill, which is officially titled the National Bison Legacy Act, was brought before lawmakers at the request of the Wildlife Conservation Society and seems to have wide support from both sides of aisle.
If the act becomes law, the bison would be granted a ...Should Hunting Be Allowed In America's National Parks?
May 31st, 2012 at 8:00AM: Should hunting be allowed inside America's national parks? That's the question that the U.S. Senate will soon be dealing with as they debate the merits of HR 4089, better known as the Sportsman's Heritage Act. The controversial bill was passed by the House of Representatives in April and could be coming to the floor of the Senate as well. If it does manage to become a law, HR 4089 would open most ...National Parks Conservation Association rallies public support for park funding
Aug 28th, 2011 at 11:00AM: The National Parks Conservation Association wants the U.S. government to stop cutting critical funding to national parks – and apparently many Americans agree. Earlier this week, the NPCA announced that it had garnered more than 105,000 signatures from its supporters asking Congress to put an end to budget cuts to the National Park Service, asserting that those cuts that are endangering the ...Are airline fees about to go higher?
Sep 27th, 2010 at 2:00PM: What could possibly be next? Absent Ryanair-style fee insanity, there seems to be little the airlines can do to our wallets now. Blankets, bags and beverages are just the tip of the iceberg: it seems anything that can come at a price does. The only thing missing is a seemingly well-intentioned Congress that wants its share of the airlines' recently found largess.
Make no mistake about it: extra ...Museums scramble for retiring space shuttles
Jul 25th, 2010 at 1:00PM: NASA has set the date for the last Space Shuttle launch at February 26, 2011, and as an era comes to a close, museums around the country are fighting to get their hands on one of the retiring vessels.
The Space Shuttle Discovery is earmarked for the Smithsonian Institution's National Air and Space Museum. It has graciously agreed to give up the shuttle it already has--the Enterprise, which was ...Congress says airline fees, basic math obscure deals
Jul 15th, 2010 at 12:00PM: Deal-hunting used to be relatively simple. You'd fire up your computer, hit a few aggregators and online travel agencies, maybe a few airline sites. Then, you'd pick your ticket and pull the trigger. The lowest number wins, right?
Wrong ... at least according to Congess.
Down in Washington, the folks who'd rather not be distracted by continued high unemployment or wars in two countries ...Spirit Airlines to Congress: paying for overhead bins helps the poor
Jul 14th, 2010 at 5:00PM:
You just don't need to take your bags on vacation, said Spirit Airlines CEO, Ben Baldanza. He's told Congress that his airline, which brands itself as a "super-low-cost" carrier, actually makes it easier for the proletariat poor to take to the skies, even if it does require that they plop down $45 to stuff a carry-on into the overhead bin.
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Travel lobbying: Cuba, medical leave cost $305,000
Jun 1st, 2010 at 3:00PM: Money may be tight in the travel business, but there's always some pocket change hanging around for lobbyists. In the first quarter of 2010, the American Hotel & Lodging Association shelled out $305,000 on federal lobbying. Cuba was one of the top items, along with labor issues such as family medical leave and health insurance for small businesses in the industry.
Shocked at the number? I ...Congresswoman wants to expand nation's oldest archaeological preserve
Apr 29th, 2010 at 3:00PM: On Interstate 10 between Tucson and Phoenix is one of America's most enduring ancient mysteries--a giant adobe structure called Casa Grande. It was erected by the Hohokam, a people who built towns where Tucson and Phoenix are today and who turned the desert green with an extensive system of irrigation. Ironically, the modern city of Phoenix was founded by American settlers who cleared out the ...Six disastrous consequences of fighting flight attendants
Mar 9th, 2010 at 2:00PM: The Association of Flight Attendants has been leaning on Congress to amp up counter-terrorism measures in the cabin. After all, the security teams in the airports haven't exactly impressed over the past few years. So, what happens to the passengers and crew when some scumbag finds a way to tote a gun, knife or oversized bottle of shampoo on board? The flight attendants' union believes it has the ...Only approved electronic devices allowed in the cockpit?
Nov 22nd, 2009 at 8:00AM: Maybe the flight attendants should start talking to the cockpit, too. When a plane overshot Minneapolis last month because the crew was playing around with personal laptops, national attention turned to what actually goes on in the front of the plane. Congress is kicking around the idea of a new bill that would kick personal electronic devices from the cockpit.
Unsurprisingly, the pilots and ...Congress to investigate airline fees ... but not for your benefit
Nov 14th, 2009 at 2:00PM: Congress is digging into all those new airline fees. Extra bags, special check-in situations ... you name it. Before you start cheering on our lawmakers, though, you should know that they aren't doing this from a sense of consumer advocacy. Frankly, Congress doesn't give a damn how much you pay for air travel. But, it does care how you pay. Why? A cash-strapped government is wondering if it's ...Five ways to beat the competition to the overhead bin
Oct 28th, 2009 at 2:00PM: There's nothing so gauche as to stick your carry-on into an overhead bin far ahead of your seat, grab a book or magazine from it and walk 17 rows back to your seat. Because, whether you know it (or give a damn), one of the passengers sitting under your bag may not have a place to put his. Then, when the plane settles in at the gate, he'll try to shove his way to the back of the plane (where he was ...Amtrak to become gun-friendly?
Sep 17th, 2009 at 3:00PM: digg_url = 'http://digg.com/travel_places/Amtrak_to_become_gun_friendly'; Thanks to a Senate vote on Wednesday, Amtrak is a step closer to becoming the nation's gun-friendly travel alternative. The proposal was approved by a vote of 68 to 30 and would allow passengers to take firearms with them on trains – as long as they declare that they are doing so. The firearms also have to be ...Congress to end long flight delays
Sep 9th, 2009 at 1:00PM:
digg_url = 'http://digg.com/travel_places/Congress_to_end_long_flight_delays'; The business travel community is siding with Congress on a new law that would address flight delays on the tarmac. The Business Travel Coalition, which represents the travel departments of 300 companies, is announcing today that it supports a new law that would give passengers some elbow room when a plane's stuck on ...Bag too big? Check with Congress
Aug 25th, 2009 at 1:00PM: Every carry-on could become a federal case, so to speak. Rep. Dan Lipinski, D-IL, has proposed legislation that would cap the size of each carry-on. Right now, airlines are left to their own devices, leading to a bit of confusion for fliers who use several carriers throughout the year. Since a de facto industry standard hasn't emerged, Lipinski feels it's a job for the folks in Washington. ...Travel to lose 200,000+ jobs
Feb 27th, 2009 at 2:00PM: Nearly 200,000 travel-related jobs were lost in 2008. Another 247,000 are forecasted for 2009. And, the financial crisis is still developing. While we lament the loss of six- and seven-figure investment banking jobs, let's not forget what those big money gigs mean for the travel industry. Consider your average Wall Street titan. He's still pulling down more than $1 million a year (somehow). So, ...Airline Passengers Push Congress to Pass Tarmac-Waiting Limit
Sep 22nd, 2007 at 9:50AM: If you've every felt frustrated and powerless while cramped in your seat on the tarmac, you're not alone. Some passengers are so upset that they're pushing Congress to to pass a mandatory "Bill of Rights" to limit waiting to three hours. On Tuesday, demonstrators on the National Mall attempted to recreate the cramped jetliner experience on Tuesday by erecting a portable vinyl carport painted to ...
