Congress should pass the Great American Outdoors Act
Aaron Clark Perkasie Borough Council and Todd Johnston ConservAmerica In the wake of a global pandemic, the economic downturn that followed, and now a wave of social unrest unlike any seen in this country in decades — it’s clear that America could use a “win.”
Fortunately, a significant victory may be right around the corner to unify us and heal some wounds. One positive that has come out of our stay-at-home orders is that Americans have been clamoring for the chance to return to the outdoors. Pennsylvania’s own Congressman Brian Fitzpatrick has seized the opportunity to act on that sentiment by introducing the Great American Outdoors Act (GAOA) in the U.S. House of Representatives.
The GAOA has already passed the Senate by a bipartisan 73-25 vote, and President Trump has said he will sign it into law if it reaches his desk. There is significant support in the House for Jeff Van Drew Fitzpatrick’s bill, meaning we are very close to passing a once-in-a-lifetime piece of conservation legislation that will protect our national parks and federal lands for generations.
The GAOA has two main goals: It fully and permanently funds the Land Water Conservation Fund (LWCF), and it addresses the $20 billion maintenance backlog that has threatened the viability of our national parks and public lands for years.
For over 50 years, the LWCF has safeguarded America’s public parks, forests, and wildlife areas.
It has produced a venerable track record to become one of the defining pieces of legislation of the last century. However, the fund is continually at the mercy of partisan congressional appropriations.
There are 121 state parks in Pennsylvania. These are places enjoyed by all, and they are explicitly protected under LWCF.
“This vital program benefits millions of Americans in innumerable ways, from promoting recreational activity to contributing to our nation’s robust economy, along with furthering environmental protection. Treasured public lands such as Nockamixon State Park, Tyler State Park, and cherished community venues such as Hatfield Community Park are all just a few of the examples of the beneficiaries of this valuable fund. I am encouraged by the strong bipartisan support for permanent funding of the LWCF,”
Fitzpatrick said about the bill in his office’s press release.
Aside from permanently funding the LWCF, the deferred maintenance backlog the GAOA will tackle is long overdue.
The park system has continued to acquire new lands and park attendance has surged, to the point where the backlog is now four times the size of the national parks’ annual budget. Many projects will directly benefit park visitors such as repairing restrooms, shelters, and trails.
Fitzpatrick also knows this is a way to get Americans back to work following the recovery.
America’s outdoor recreation economy supports over 7.6 million jobs and more than $887 billion in annual economic output. The GAOA is an economic stimulus that will continue to generate growth for decades, and it will benefit every state and any community close to one of our many national treasures.
Finally, it’s politically significant because the GOP cannot afford to allow one party to control the narrative on American conservation. For too long, Democrats have appeared to lead the nation on matters concerning the environment.
All Americans have a stake in the environment, and it falls on Republicans to represent our hunters and anglers, hikers, and backpackers, and other conservatives who value these resources.
We call on House Republicans to serve the will of the people by passing the GAOA without delay.
Future generations will look back on this moment to see if we held up our end of the bargain.
Aaron Clark is a Perkasie Borough councilman, a lifelong Republican and avid outdoorsman.
Todd Johnston is ConservAmerica’s vice president of public policy. Todd served eight years as a senior Hill staffer, including staff director of the House Science Committee’s Environment and Energy Subcommittee, policy advisor on the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, and staff director on EPW’s Clean Air, Climate Change and Nuclear Safety Subcommittee.
Fortunately, a significant victory may be right around the corner to unify us and heal some wounds. One positive that has come out of our stay-at-home orders is that Americans have been clamoring for the chance to return to the outdoors. Pennsylvania’s own Congressman Brian Fitzpatrick has seized the opportunity to act on that sentiment by introducing the Great American Outdoors Act (GAOA) in the U.S. House of Representatives.
The GAOA has already passed the Senate by a bipartisan 73-25 vote, and President Trump has said he will sign it into law if it reaches his desk. There is significant support in the House for Jeff Van Drew Fitzpatrick’s bill, meaning we are very close to passing a once-in-a-lifetime piece of conservation legislation that will protect our national parks and federal lands for generations.
The GAOA has two main goals: It fully and permanently funds the Land Water Conservation Fund (LWCF), and it addresses the $20 billion maintenance backlog that has threatened the viability of our national parks and public lands for years.
For over 50 years, the LWCF has safeguarded America’s public parks, forests, and wildlife areas.
It has produced a venerable track record to become one of the defining pieces of legislation of the last century. However, the fund is continually at the mercy of partisan congressional appropriations.
There are 121 state parks in Pennsylvania. These are places enjoyed by all, and they are explicitly protected under LWCF.
“This vital program benefits millions of Americans in innumerable ways, from promoting recreational activity to contributing to our nation’s robust economy, along with furthering environmental protection. Treasured public lands such as Nockamixon State Park, Tyler State Park, and cherished community venues such as Hatfield Community Park are all just a few of the examples of the beneficiaries of this valuable fund. I am encouraged by the strong bipartisan support for permanent funding of the LWCF,”
Fitzpatrick said about the bill in his office’s press release.
Aside from permanently funding the LWCF, the deferred maintenance backlog the GAOA will tackle is long overdue.
The park system has continued to acquire new lands and park attendance has surged, to the point where the backlog is now four times the size of the national parks’ annual budget. Many projects will directly benefit park visitors such as repairing restrooms, shelters, and trails.
Fitzpatrick also knows this is a way to get Americans back to work following the recovery.
America’s outdoor recreation economy supports over 7.6 million jobs and more than $887 billion in annual economic output. The GAOA is an economic stimulus that will continue to generate growth for decades, and it will benefit every state and any community close to one of our many national treasures.
Finally, it’s politically significant because the GOP cannot afford to allow one party to control the narrative on American conservation. For too long, Democrats have appeared to lead the nation on matters concerning the environment.
All Americans have a stake in the environment, and it falls on Republicans to represent our hunters and anglers, hikers, and backpackers, and other conservatives who value these resources.
We call on House Republicans to serve the will of the people by passing the GAOA without delay.
Future generations will look back on this moment to see if we held up our end of the bargain.
Aaron Clark is a Perkasie Borough councilman, a lifelong Republican and avid outdoorsman.
Todd Johnston is ConservAmerica’s vice president of public policy. Todd served eight years as a senior Hill staffer, including staff director of the House Science Committee’s Environment and Energy Subcommittee, policy advisor on the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, and staff director on EPW’s Clean Air, Climate Change and Nuclear Safety Subcommittee.