Assemblyman Dave McDonough (R,C,I-Merrick) today is echoing calls by Gov. Cuomo for local veterans to take advantage of the new Lifetime Liberty Pass. The Liberty Pass permits qualified disabled veterans discounted use of state parks, historic sites, and recreational facilities operated by the Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation (State Parks) and the Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC).

“Our service-disabled veterans are living with the after-effects of their selfless sacrifice for their nation each and every day,” said McDonough. “Providing service-disabled veterans with lifetime access to our parks is just a small token of appreciation we can offer them in thanks. I encourage all our local disabled veterans who meet the qualifications to take advantage of the program to see all the amazing sites and sounds New York has to offer.”

The Liberty Pass was launched by Gov. Cuomo during his Veteran’s Summit last March as a way in which New York can improve services to veterans and military families, as well as support the state’s efforts to improve and celebrate its many outdoor recreational opportunities as we head into the summer tourism season. To qualify for the pass, veterans must provide State Parks with written certification from the United States Veterans Administration (VA) or the New York State Division of Veterans’ Affairs that the appli¬cant is a veteran with at least 40% service- connected disability. Additional information on the program and the application can be found at http://nysparks.com/admission/lifetime-liberty-pass.aspx.