GREAT AMERICAN OUTDOORS ACT PASSED

[Live to Hunt]

Yesterday, the United States House of Representatives voted overwhelmingly (310-107) to pass the Great American Outdoors Act (S. 3422). The National Deer Alliance (NDA), the Quality Deer Management Association (QDMA), and their members played an important role in the passage of this historic legislation that fully funds the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) and tackles the huge maintenance backlog currently faced on our public lands.

 

"This is a historic victory for conservation and public lands, and we are proud to have partnered with a long list of organizations and our members to help push this important legislation across the finish line," said Nick Pinizzotto, president and CEO of NDA and QDMA.

 

Introduced in March by multiple Senators from both sides of the aisle, the Great American Outdoors Act will provide full and permanent funding for the Land and Water Conservation Fund at $900 million annually and address the $19 billion maintenance backlog on our public lands. The LWCF, created in 1965, provides funding for land and water conservation, outdoor recreation and historic preservation projects. The Fund is not tax-funded; rather, it's funded by royalties collected from offshore oil and gas operations.

 

The LWCF has provided funding for conservation projects in all 50 states and nearly every county in the United States. The Great American Outdoors Act will ensure that the LWCF will be fully funded at $900 million annually for just the third time in the Fund's half-century history. For reference, the Fund is slated to receive $495 million this year - the highest allocation in the last 17 years.

 

Additionally, the Great American Outdoors Act will dedicate $9.5 billion to repair and restore public land infrastructure over a period of five years, with the National Park Service (NPS) receiving 70% of these funds. Other federal agencies, such as the US Forest Service (USFS), US Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) and the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) will receive most of the remainder.

 

"Almost every American has had a LWCF project completed close to where they live and recreate, and permanent funding of the program is particularly a big win for deer hunters who often rely on public lands," said Pinizzotto. "When you consider that about eight out of every 10 people who hunt pursue big game, making sure they have a quality place to go helps to ensure their continued participation, which further fuels wildlife conservation across the country."

 

The passage of the Great American Outdoors Act in both the Senate and House of Representatives is a conservation achievement unparalleled in recent decades, and our organizations are celebrating the bill's passage and the hard work of our dedicated members. The bill now heads to President Donald Trump's desk, and he has vowed on multiple occasions that he would support bipartisan legislation to fully fund the LWCF.

[james7]

👍🏻

[Bucksnbows]

This is great news and Trumpy Bear has said repeatedly he will sign it. 

 

I do laugh, however, when you read the top paragraph.  It seems I got twenty emails claiming victory from twenty different conservation organizations I am a member of or follow, all claiming to have "played a major role in its passing".  But it's still great stuff.    

[LPJR]

Great news indeed 

[NotJust22s]

And Murphy will find a way to keep us forming hunting it 

[MGHunter66]

Awesome, great post Todd 

[NJREALTOR]

Great news!  Thanks for posting.

[Bonefreak]

20 yrs ago I interned in WASHINGTON DC for the National Wildlife Federation lobbying Congress for this same type of legislation.....known as CARA.....The Conservation and Reinvestment Act....we nearly had it done...but it stalled in the Senate. 

My supervisor i worked under is on cloud 9....as this has been her life's work getting this done!!

Not ironic its under this administration's watch either!!

[Jim_]

2 hours ago, Bucksnbows said:

This is great news and Trumpy Bear has said repeatedly he will sign it. 

Yet, Trump wanted to slash the funding to the Land and Water Conservation Fund in previous budgets. I never know where this guy is coming from.

Bravo .. to Congress! Shame to all the republicans that voted against it. Politics.

[nickmarch]

The bill was sponsored by Colorado Republican Sen. Cory Gardner.

On Thursday, White House adviser Ivanka Trump and Secretary of the Interior David Bernhardt visited Colorado for a two-day tour to highlight the legislation, delivering remarks at Rocky Mountain Park.  

“We MUST protect our National Parks for our children and grandchildren. I am calling on the House to pass the GREAT AMERICAN OUTDOORS ACT today. Thanks @SenCoryGardner and @SteveDaines for all your work on this HISTORIC BILL!” President Trump tweeted on Wednesday.

Edited July 23, 2020 by nickmarch

[Fred Flintstone]

Sounds Great!

[Greybeard]

Sounds good.  But when the national park signs went up where I hunted up here, so did the no hunting signs.  

[bushden]

Sounds like good news, let hope they do what it says and moneys are not diverted for other BS disguised as this

[Bonefreak]

3 minutes ago, bushden said:

Sounds like good news, let hope they do what it says and moneys are not diverted for other BS disguised as this

It took so long because the legislation uses the language "dedicated funding".....which is a politicians worst nightmare....politician kryptonite if u will....because they can't get their grubby hands on it n divert it to where they believe it shud go....usually for reasons to strengthen their voting base.

I remember wen governor mcgreevey diverted fish n game funds n the feds audited accounts n he had to put it back.....shud have been charged for something like that. 

[bushden]

42 minutes ago, Bonefreak said:

It took so long because the legislation uses the language "dedicated funding".....which is a politicians worst nightmare....politician kryptonite if u will....because they can't get their grubby hands on it n divert it to where they believe it shud go....usually for reasons to strengthen their voting base.

I remember wen governor mcgreevey diverted fish n game funds n the feds audited accounts n he had to put it back.....shud have been charged for something like that. 

We will see, the politicians are all crafty  scoundrels who know home to bend the rules in their favor.