The first outdoor-recreation-specific legislation package cleared the Senate and now heads to the president’s desk to be signed into law. Its journey to passage took an unexpected turn.
Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) stood on Dec. 19 before a mostly empty Senate chamber. Minutes earlier, Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) asked the Senate for unanimous consent to pass the EXPLORE Act, a bill that represented the largest package of outdoor recreational legislation ever offered by Congress.
Cruz strode to the microphone and said he reserved the right to object to the passage. As he spoke, Cruz told the chamber he was asked, as a personal favor, to avoid objecting to the legislation’s passage.
“Therefore,” he said, “I do not object.”
Sen. Cory Booker (D-N.J.), presiding over the chamber, sat back in his chair. His eyes widened. He leaned forward to the microphone and asked quizzically, “Does the senator from Texas object to the request?”
“No,” Cruz replied.
“Without objection,” Booker said, “Merry Christmas. So ordered.”
RVIA and outdoor recreation supporters cheered the December gift.
RVIA President and CEO Craig Kirby said, “The RV Industry Association, and the wider outdoor recreation industry, is thrilled to see the EXPLORE Act’s passage. This is an incredible victory for the countless individuals, communities and businesses who benefit from accessible, enhanced outdoor spaces.”
Manchin and Sen. Tom Barrasso (R-Wyo.), the Senate’s co-sponsors of the legislation, cheered the bill’s passage.
“The passage of the EXPLORE Act will keep Wyoming’s recreation industry thriving,” Barrasso said, “by spurring job creation, promoting small businesses, and streamlining safety and access to our nation’s parks. I am thrilled it is headed to the president’s desk.”
The EXPLORE Act:
- Directs the Department of the Interior and the Forest Service to establish a pilot program for public-private partnership agreements to modernize campgrounds on federal land;
- Ensures that outdoor recreation is considered by land managers alongside other uses of federal land by directing the Forest Service and the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) to consider ways to improve recreation when developing and revising land management plans;
- Supports rural communities adjacent to recreation areas by providing technical and financial assistance to local businesses including hotels, campgrounds, and restaurants, to support visitation;
- Requires the Forest Service and BLM to designate new shooting ranges in National Forests and BLM land;
- Directs the Forest Service to issue guidance for recreational climbing in designated Wilderness Areas;
- Directs federal land management agencies to work with the Department of Commerce to provide cellular and internet service at certain recreation sites; and
- Directs federal land management agencies to identify opportunities to extend the period of time recreation areas on federal land are open to the public during shoulder seasons.
- Improves access to public lands and waters for outdoor recreation
- Modernizes technology to improve visitor experiences, such as increasing broadband connectivity and creating digital recreation passes
- Streamlines the permitting process and reduces fees for small businesses that depend on public land access
- Protects rock climbing in iconic places and creates new long-distance bike trails
- Restores campgrounds and modernizes infrastructure
- Supports gateway communities by addressing housing shortages and outdated infrastructure
- Improves accessibility for military service members, veterans, individuals with disabilities and children
Jessica Wahl Turner, president of the Outdoor Recreation Roundtable (ORR), said, “Today’s passage of the EXPLORE Act will supercharge the outdoor recreation industry and is a victory for our economy, our communities, our quality of life and our shared connection to the outdoors. By advancing this transformative legislation, Congress has shown its commitment to ensuring every American has access to world-class outdoor experiences, from our backyard to the backcountry, while supporting the businesses, workers, and communities who make those experiences possible….We are deeply thankful to our congressional champions and their staff, our ORR members, and all who helped pass this crucial legislation and are proud to celebrate this moment with the nation and our ORR members who really lead the way.”
The bill is not entirely final. Senate and House members worked on changes to the House-passed legislation, including how resources are deployed for broadband services. Without time on the legislative calendar to amend the bill and send it back to the House for passage, negotiators agreed to have the Senate pass the House legislation and offer amendments beginning in the 2025 congressional session.
For now, the EXPLORE Act’s journey will conclude with a signature from President Joe Biden’s pen.
