6 Industry Organizations Celebrate Committee Approval of ‘America the Beautiful Act’
Several associations and members of the outdoor recreation industry released statements celebrating the decision of the U.S. Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee to advance S. 1547, the America the Beautiful Act.
The Outdoor Recreation Roundtable issued the following statement applauding the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee for advancing the bipartisan America the Beautiful Act and thanking Senators Daines, King, Heinrich and Lee for their leadership in strengthening and reauthorizing the National Parks and Public Land Legacy Restoration Fund:
“At a time when bipartisan solutions can be hard to find, today’s vote demonstrates that investing in America’s public lands, waters, and outdoor recreation economy remains a unifying national priority. As the backbone of a $1.3 trillion outdoor recreation economy supporting 5.2 million American jobs, our public lands and waters depend on sustained investments in access, infrastructure and visitor experiences,” said Jessica Turner, president of the Outdoor Recreation Roundtable. “The America the Beautiful Act will help modernize campgrounds, marinas, boat launches, trails and other critical recreation infrastructure while creating new opportunities for public-private partnerships and ensuring Americans can continue enjoying these treasured places for generations to come. These investments strengthen rural economies, support American-made outdoor products, improve public health and wellness, and create the certainty communities and businesses need to thrive. As our nation prepares to celebrate its 250th anniversary, there is no better way to honor America’s legacy than by investing in the iconic landscapes and waterways that define our national character. We urge swift passage of this bipartisan legislation on the Senate floor and look forward to working with House champions on passage to ensure these investments continue expanding access to the outdoors and preserving these treasured places for the next 250 years.”
The RV Industry Association (RVIA) shared the following on its LinkedIn:
“We’re excited to celebrate a major win for outdoor recreation! The Outdoor Recreation Roundtable and the RV Industry Association commend the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee for advancing the bipartisan America the Beautiful Act.
“Special thanks to Senators Daines, King, Heinrich, and Lee for championing the reauthorization of the National Parks and Public Land Legacy Restoration Fund. Their leadership is paving the way for modernized campgrounds, marinas, boat launches, trails, and vital recreation infrastructure.
“This landmark legislation will spark new public-private partnerships, boost rural economies, support American-made outdoor products, and enhance public health and wellness — ensuring everyone can enjoy our nation’s treasured places for generations to come.
“Let’s keep moving forward together!”
In a statement from Outdoor Alliance, Louis Geltman, vice president of policy and government affairs, said, “The Legacy Restoration Fund has been one of the most successful public lands investments in recent memory, helping address long-standing maintenance needs while improving the visitor experience in parks and public lands across the country. As more Americans get outside and visit their public lands, continued investment in recreation infrastructure and stewardship is essential. We are grateful to Senators Mike Lee, Martin Heinrich, Steve Daines and Angus King for their leadership in advancing this bipartisan legislation and for their continued commitment to ensuring that America’s parks and public lands remain accessible, well-maintained and ready to serve future generations.”
Emily Douce, acting vice president of government affairs for the National Parks Conservation Association (NPCA), said, “NPCA commends bipartisan members of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee for their leadership in advancing the America the Beautiful Act and keeping this critical effort moving forward. Today’s action is an important step toward addressing long-overdue repairs in our national parks and protecting the places that define our nation’s identity.
“Time and again, our national parks prove to be a unifying force that can bring both sides of the political aisle together. And as America approaches its 250th anniversary, there’s no better way to honor this milestone than by investing in the places that protect and tell our shared history.
“The job is far from finished. Congress must act swiftly to pass this bill and deliver it to the president’s desk. National parks face a repair backlog of $24 billion, and severe staffing losses continue to delay critical projects, threatening irreplaceable resources and compromising visitor experience. Congress must build on this bipartisan momentum and work with the administration to invest in the staff necessary to restore and protect our parks.
“We thank the committee and Senate park champions for their leadership and look forward to working with Congress to get this bill across the finish line.”
In a report from National Parks Traveler, Center for Western Priorities Executive Director Aaron Weiss said, “This is long overdue. Americans across the political spectrum have consistently called for protecting our treasured parks and public lands and fully funding and staffing the agencies that care for them. Interior Secretary Doug Burgum and Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins did the right thing supporting this bill to direct funding and address critical maintenance concerns on public lands.”
In the same report, Lesley Kane Szynal, chair of the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) Coalition, stated, “Protecting LWCF without changes is a core principle for bipartisan champions in Congress as well as the broad-based conservation and recreation community. We stand firm with bipartisan Congressional champions in support of the full suite of LWCF programs that strengthen local parks, expand outdoor recreation access, conserve working lands and wildlife habitat, improve public access for hunters and anglers, and protect the lands and waters that define communities across the nation — all at no cost to taxpayers.”
