This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2016, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
Utah legislators want $1 million from the federal government to reimburse the state for keeping national parks here open when the federal government shut down in 2013 during battles over the budget.
The House voted 67-0 to pass HCR11 on Monday, and sent it to the Senate, calling for Congress to pay back that money.
Rep. Ken Ivory, R-West Jordan, noted the state spent $1.6 million to keep Utah's national parks and monuments open — but only $600,000 was reimbursed. "And the federal government kept all the gate receipts."
Ivory gave a top 10 list on some things the federal government spent money on instead of paying back Utah. Some highlights:
No. 10: "$120 million was spent on the retirement and disability benefits for federal employees who have already died," Ivory said.
No. 7: "This is my personal favorite," Ivory said. "$1.6 million was spent to study the effects of excess alcohol on prostitutes in China."
No. 3: "$10 million was put towards a Pakistani Sesame Street program."
No. 1: "$765,828 was spent for pancakes in a 'disadvantaged community,'" by helping a pancake house in Washington, D.C.
Ivory said, "We think if the federal government can spend millions and billions on those sorts of things, surely they can pay us back the $1 million we paid to open our national parks."
— Lee Davidson