Last week, the Senate took three different procedural votes, all of which received strong bipartisan support, to continue the advancement of the Great American Outdoors Act (S. 3422). The Senate is expected to continue with procedural votes later today and a final vote is expected to occur tomorrow.
The Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation (CSF) continues to work to secure successful passage of this historic legislation. The strong bipartisan support for the procedural votes last week demonstrates the importance of conservation and access of our Nation’s public lands for Americans from all aspects of life. Public lands and waters are critical for the health of the nation’s economy in addition to the well-being of Americans. This legislation recognizes the importance of our treasured lands and waters.
S. 3422 will provide $9.5 billion over 5 years to address the crumbling infrastructure on America’s public lands and waters. While the National Park Service will receive $6.5 billion in funding, CSF worked to secure the inclusion of $3 billion in funding to be set aside to repair and maintain public land infrastructure overseen by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), U.S. Fish and Wildlife (USFWS), and U.S. Forest Service (USFS), which are critically important to providing recreational opportunities for sportsmen and women.
The inclusion of funding specifically for BLM, USFWS, and USFS lands and waters will ensure that Americans have the opportunity to access some of their most cherished places to participate in hunting, fishing, and recreational shooting. Over 246 million acres, or 99%, of BLM lands are open to hunting and fishing, while the USFS reports that 99% of the 193 million acres it administers are open to hunting and at least 99% of USFS administered rivers, streams, and lakes are open to fishing. Collectively, BLM, USFWS, and USFS annually support more than 25 million hunting days and nearly 45 million fishing days, highlighting the importance of these lands for America’s sportsmen and women as well as the outdoor economy overall.
The Great American Outdoors Act also provides full and permanent funding for the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) at $900 million annually. LWCF is one of the most successful and influential conservation programs in our nation’s history. As a testament to the impact of LWCF, the program has completed a conservation, recreation, or access project in every single county in the country since its inception in 1964.
Tune in to CSF’s social media channels for future updates and continue to contact your U.S. Senator to urge a “yes” vote on final passage.
Instagram: @congressionalsportsmen
Facebook: Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation
Twitter: @HunterandAngler
Studies conducted at both the state and federal level have found that the number of hunters and trappers have been on a generally declining trend over the past several decades. To increase recruitment, retention, and reactivation (R3) of hunters and trappers, which initiative do you think would have the greatest impact?
