Pay the Money, Buy the Land and Name It Hope

W hereas in the 1960s Mr. Bob Hope made substantial investments in land in the Santa Monica Mountains,

Whereas much of these lands are sought after by the National Park Service by virtue of their ecological, wildlife and recreational value, and have been scheduled for acquisition and inclusion in the Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area,

Whereas due to recent budget restraints few funds have been available to purchase these lands,

Whereas Mr. Hope at 86 understandably wishes to sell these lands by way of organizing his estate,

Whereas these lands, if sold for development, would be lost forever to future generations for parkland use,

Whereas Mr. Hope has charitable inclinations in other directions and is reluctant to simply donate his land as parkland,

Whereas recent calls by environmentalists and others have cast an unreasonable slur on Mr. Hope’s good name,

Whereas Mr. Hope has provided valuable service to the Nation as an entertainer, particularly in his travels abroad during wartime to entertain the troops, and we recognize that the time has come to recognize this service,

Therefore let all join in urging Congress to make a special appropriation from the Land and Water Conservation Fund with which to purchase for the Nation these Hope properties, and that some appropriate part of the land be named after Mr. Bob Hope.