Senate Panel Votes to Approve Full and Mandatory Funding for LWCF ! 11-19-19

A Senate panel this morning approved legislation to provide permanent funding for the Land and Water Conservation Fund, reform offshore drilling revenue sharing and tackle the multibillion-dollar backlog in national parks.

The panel voted 13-7 to advance the LWCF bill,  which would provide full, permanent funding for LWCF at its current annual authorized level of $900 million. The legislation, which has a companion bill in the House, would allow offshore oil and gas revenues deposited into the fund to be spent without being subject to the appropriations process.

Four Republicans — Sens. Lamar Alexander of Tennessee, Steve Daines of Montana, Cory Gardner of Colorado and Martha McSally of Arizona — voted with Democrats and Sen. Angus King (I-Maine) to support the measure. “It is extremely important that we get this bipartisan legislation signed into law,” said Daines.

Chair Murkowski said she opposed the LWCF legislation — after briefly accidentally voting aye before changing her vote — because she said the appropriator in her “still has concerns over permanent and mandatory funding” for the popular conservation program.  But Murkowski noted that she is a supporter in general of LWCF. “The vote today showed a strong showing for LWCF writ large,” the Alaska Republican said.

Ed. Note:  This is one step in the process.. it still needs full Senate support and… some members in the House have significant problems with the mandatory funding.. But this is a step in the right direction and NASORLO is ready for a long drawn out discussion on this issue. fyi