Obama to designate three national monuments Thursday

President Obama will designate three national monuments on Thursday, drawing criticism from Republicans who say he “bulldozed transparency.”

Obama will also launch an initiative to encourage kids to visit national parks during an appearance in Chicago’s historic Pullman District, which he will designate as a national monument, according to a White House fact sheet.  

{mosads}Constructed by businessman George Pullman, the area was originally a company town for his workers who built the Pullman railway cars in the late 1800s.

Obama will also designate Honouliuli — a former internment camp in Hawaii where Japanese-Americans were imprisoned during World War II — a national monument.

Finally, Obama will also declare Browns Canyon in Colorado a national monument. 

After Thursday’s designations, Obama will have used the Antiquities Act to establish or expand 16 national monuments, the White House said.

Republicans were quick to criticize the president’s latest action. 

Rep. Rob Bishop (R-Utah), chairman of the House Natural Resources Committee, called the announcement “unilateral, unchecked land designations.” 

“President Obama has sidelined the American public and bulldozed transparency by proclaiming three new national monuments through executive fiat,” Bishop said. “The Obama Administration claims these designations have public support, but we know that is a complete stretch of the truth.”

Obama will also launch his Every Kid in a Park initiative, which will give free admission to all fourth grade students and their families to national parks and other federal lands and waters for a full year. 

The administration will distribute information and resources to schools for teachers and families to identify near public lands and the National Park Foundation will start a program that provides transportation to schools with the most need.