Rep. Joe Cunningham (SC-01) on Thursday introduced the Great American Outdoors Act, bipartisan legislation to fully and permanently fund the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) and address priority repair needs in our national parks and other land management agencies. Cunningham was joined by Reps. Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA), Mikie Sherrill (D-NJ), Mike Simpson (R-ID), TJ Cox (D-CA), John Katko (R-NY), Xochitl Torres Small (D-NM), Lee Zeldin (R-NY), Kendra Horn (D-OK), Steve Stivers (R-OH), Jared Golden (D-ME), and Jeff Fortenberry (R-NE).
This bill is the House companion legislation to the Great American Outdoors Act introduced in the Senate (S. 3422) by Sens. Cory Gardner (R-C0) and Joe Manchin (D-WV). In March, President Trump called on Congress to send this legislation to his desk to be signed into law. The Great American Outdoors Act has drawn the support of more than 900 organizations across the country, including local businesses, the recreation industry, veterans groups, conservation organizations, tourism and travel associations, sportsmen, and infrastructure groups.
“Over the past five decades, LWCF has become the gold standard of conservation programs and has invested more than $303.5 million in South Carolina to protect its recreational areas and open spaces,” said Rep. Joe Cunningham. “Last year we permanently reauthorized LWCF and now the time has come to make its funding permanent. LWCF has enriched countless lives in the Lowcountry by protecting many of the places that make our community unique and irreplaceable, from the Folly Beach Boardwalk to Hunting Island State Park. I stand with our community, environmental and sportsmen groups, and business and tourism leaders to urge my colleagues to pass the Great American Outdoors Act as soon as possible, permanently fund LWCF and address the maintenance backlog across our national parks and public lands.”
The RV Industry Association has advocated in support of passing the Great American Outdoors Act in the House and Senate, and has shared information throughout this past week encouraging members to contact their representatives.
“The RV industry and the Outdoor Recreation Roundtable (ORR) have always held the Restore our Parks Act and LWCF as a key priority, so we are very pleased with this progress,” the RVIA announced in a media release this week. “RVIA and ORR also lead advocacy efforts to add other vital federal land agencies like the Bureau of Land Management and U.S. Forest Service to this vital piece of legislation.”
Among other information the RVIA shared in support of the GAOA, the association reported that a study from the Pew Charitable Trusts estimates that addressing the backlog in U.S. national parks alone would create or support nearly 110,000 infrastructure-related jobs, most of these in struggling rural communities.
“The bipartisan Great American Outdoors Act is a much-needed win for the American people. It will create jobs in communities across America, restore aging national park and public lands infrastructure, preserve historic sites, and protect recreation access,” said Marcia Argust, project director of The Pew Charitable Trusts’ restore America’s parks campaign. “Now more than ever, people recognize the importance of getting outside. Taking care of these places and the communities and small businesses that depend on them is a smart investment,” said Marcia Argust, Project Director, The Pew Charitable Trusts.
John Tynan, Executive Director of Conservation Voters of South Carolina, also spoke in support of the GAOA this week.
“Congressman Joe Cunningham knows that a healthy environment and vibrant economy go hand in hand. That’s why his support for investing in our parks, trails, and outdoor spaces is a key part of our state’s and nation’s recovery. Parks and outdoor spaces support local tourism and outdoor recreation businesses while also helping to improve our mental and physical health – lowering stress and keeping us physically active. Supporting this type of win-win investment for the Lowcountry economy and environment is what we’ve come to expect from a Lowcountry environmental champion like Congressman Cunningham,” said Tynan said.
