Outdoor Recreation Roundtable (ORR) Senior Director Ambreen Tariq testified this week in support of two key outdoor recreation bills in the House Committee on Natural Resources—the Improving Outdoor Recreation Coordination Act (H.R. 3107) and the Gateway Community and Recreation Enhancement Act (H.R. 3200).
ORR said the two bills would help the federal government work better for businesses, states, the communities who rely on outdoor recreation infrastructure, lands and waters and the American people who enjoy them.
Tariq said of HR 3107: “The Improving Outdoor Recreation Coordination Act is about breaking down government silos so we can see a better return on investment for taxpayer dollars and come up with the best policies for our industries’ biggest opportunities and challenges. This legislation will result in better management of our federal lands and waters, more coordinated policies across federal agencies, and valuable interactions with non-federal partners.”
Tariq said the Gateway Community and Recreation Enhancement Act would help communities plan for recreation in ways supporting housing, over-crowding and workforce development.
“Both recreation bills discussed today are wins for Republicans and Democrats, American businesses, and the American people,” Tariq said, “not just today’s recreationists but also future generations of outdoor lovers who we hope will gain the same benefits we do from time spent in nature.”
ORR urges Congress to swiftly pass the bills and package them with other bipartisan recreation priorities into a recreation package by year’s end.
