Congress Passes the Great American Outdoors Act

In an unusual bipartisan move, Congress passed the Great American Outdoors Act, opening up funding for improvements to the national parks and access to them.

Originally introduced in March 2019 by the late Representative John Lewis (D-GA), the measure was passed on July 22, after the congressman’s death earlier this month. The act was created “to establish, fund, and provide for the use of amounts in a National Parks and Public Land Legacy Restoration Fund to address the maintenance backlog of the National Park Service, the United States Fish and Wildlife Service, the Bureau of Land Management, the Forest Service, and the Bureau of Indian Education, and to provide permanent, dedicated funding for the Land and Water Conservation Fund, and for other purposes.”

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Passage of this important legislation was heralded by industry leaders as a step in the right direction.

“This will be a great example of a promise kept by the Trump Administration for America’s sportsmen and women,” said Lawrence G. Keane, National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF) Senior Vice President of Government Relations and Public Affairs and General Counsel. “Secretary David Bernhardt and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Director Aurelia Skipwith recognize that our nation’s public lands belong to all Americans and the Trump Administration delivered on the guarantee that those lands and waters are accessible to America’s conservation-minded hunters and recreational target shooters. Those men and women are the greatest stewards of our natural resources and this initiative to expand and open new opportunities will nurture the next generation to enjoy and preserve our national outdoor heritage.”

Even before it passed, Jeff Crane, president of the Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation said, “The Great American Outdoors Act is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. This legislation not only takes historic steps forward to promote conservation and increase access for America’s sportsmen and women, but will also serve as a multiplier by creating near-term job creation at a much-needed time.”

As reported by PopularOutdoorSportsman.com, the Great American Outdoors Act ensures full, dedicated funding for the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) and addresses the maintenance backlog of public lands and water projects across the United States.

The new legislation is a big win for conservationist, hunters, and anyone who enjoys time spent in the national parks. ~ David

David Workman
David is an avid gun guy and a contributing writer to several major gun publications. In addition to being an NRA-certified RSO, David trains new shooters on basic handgun skills and CCW requirements and is a strong advocate for training as much as you possibly can. "Real life shootouts don't happen at a box range."

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