WASHINGTON, Sept. 19 -- Sen. Lamar Alexander, R-Tennessee, issued the following news release: U.S. Senator Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) today said the Senate Appropriations Committee unanimously approved a spending bill that takes an important step in addressing the nearly $12 billion maintenance backlog in our national parks -- including the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. "Nearly half of the nearly $12 billion maintenance backlog in our national parks is roads. In the Great Smoky Mountains  more