Show Golden Eagle Hearings Set I I Sen Wallace F. F Bennett R Utah R-Utah Utah announced today I that the Senate Interior Committee Committee Com Com- ComI Committee I has scheduled hearings hearings hear hear- ings for July 17 on his bill to extend the Golden Eagle Passport program THE TilE PROGRAM was instituted instituted instituted I in 1965 and allows visitors visitors tors to pay an annual fee for fora a passport which permits them to enter more than National Parks Monuments Forests and Refuges I 1 am pleased the Committee Commit Commit- I tee has scheduled hearings on the b bill Il to extend the life of this program which has proved extremely popular Sen Bennett said In the absence of continuing legislation legis legis- lation the program would expire in March however I am confident that Congress will extend it this year THE TilE UTAHN noted that the Washington Post in an editorial Tuesday noted that in the absence of the possibility possibility possibility of free admission on to the national areas a season ticket is better than shelling I I out cash every time a person person person per per- son wants to see a mountain or feel a cool breeze in the I I favored spots of our land I I Sen Bennett said the number number num num- I Ibel ber bel of persons purchasing Golden Eagle passports increased in in- in increased I creased from in 1965 to in 1968 Proceeds which are estimated at 52 m million for 1969 are used to purchase additional recreation areas |