The Great American Outdoors Act

Floor Speech

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Mr. McCONNELL. Madam President, now on to an entirely different matter. Thanks to the bipartisan leadership of colleagues like Senators Daines, Gardner, Portman, Alexander, Manchin, and Warner, we are attending to legislation that will shape the future of the great American outdoors for the better.

It is fitting that the legislation before us comes with support of such a broad bipartisan coalition because our national parks, forests, and other public lands are treasured in every State of our Union by the hunters and anglers who look forward to the morning stillness of the Black Hills and the Big South Fork of the Cumberland, by the hikers who camp and plot weekend escapes in Shenandoah and Joshua Tree, by the school groups and researchers who connect with history at Gettysburg and Mesa Verde.

Every year, hundreds of millions of our people--our fellow Americans and visitors from around the world--share the gift of our Nation's public lands. Even more Americans in surrounding communities benefit from the jobs and the prosperity that are supported by tourism and recreation.

This country's public lands comprise a tremendously diverse array of landscapes, wildlife, historic sites, and natural resources. They are spread out across 419 parks, 568 refuges, and hundreds of millions of acres of managed space.

They didn't pop up overnight. It has taken more than a century of dedicated work to designate, acquire, and maintain the public lands Americans enjoy today. It is the Land and Water Conservation Fund, which this legislation will give permanent support, that makes them accessible for generations to come.

Today, more than 5 million Americans rely directly on outdoor recreation for their livelihood. They contribute to $778 billion in economic activity. In recent years, their industry's growth has outpaced an economy that was red-hot in its own right. A bright future for our public lands is a bright future for our Nation, and a predictable, consistent support provided by the LWCF will play a critical role in these efforts.

Take my home State of Kentucky, for example. For years, I have been proud to advocate for LWCF funding to conserve some of the Bluegrass's precious wilderness and historic sites. Back in 1996, Kentucky was the only State without a national wildlife refuge, and it was my legislation that helped secure the creation of one at Clarks River.

Last year, additional legislation I authored helped create another sanctuary for wildlife and recreation at the confluence of the Green and Ohio Rivers. Already, the Fish and Wildlife Service has marked the Green River Wildlife Refuge as the LWCF's top funding priority for the coming year. The dedicated resources in this legislation would be instrumental in the growth of Kentucky's newest national treasure, along with other areas like Clarks River.

As the LWCF drives the preservation of more national wetlands, forests, and battlefield space in Kentucky, I suspect every one of my colleagues is equally proud of similar efforts in their own States. This bill advances a noble cause that has added benefit of being a sound investment.

According to one recent analysis, every dollar spent through the Land and Water Conservation Fund turns out $4 in economic benefit. Every $1 million directed toward the LWCF in turn supports as many as 30 American jobs.

So I am extremely proud to be a cosponsor of the Great American Outdoors Act, I am proud of the work our colleagues have put in to get it this far, and I look forward to seeing it passed.

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