Governors Laud Passage of Great American Outdoor Act in the Senate and encourage the House to consider the measure.

Governors applaud the passage of S. 3422, ( now renumbered as HR 1957 ) the Great American Outdoors Act. This bipartisan legislation will help states to meet their outdoor recreation needs by providing stability and certainty in funding for the Land and Water Conservation Fund, and it does much to address the substantial backlog of deferred maintenance in national parks.

As Congress considers ways to further economic recovery and protect public health during the COVID-19 pandemic, support for outdoor recreation and public lands is crucial. The outdoor recreation economy employs millions of Americans in communities across the nation, and public outdoor spaces provide a safe venue for Americans to exercise and recreate.

Governors urge the House to take up this critical legislation as soon as possible.

For the past year, the National Governors Association has organized the Outdoor Recreation Learning Network to help governors and their staffs leverage their unique natural, cultural and historical resources to advance economic, workforce, health and environmental benefits. More information on the Outdoor Recreation Learning Network can be found at nga.org/outdoors. We are using the social media hashtag #RecreateResponsibly.