Senate poised to pass Great American Outdoors Act

The U.S. Senate will vote on the bipartisan Great American Outdoors Act when the body returns to Washington, D.C. in June.

NMMA said it is a strong supporter of the measure, which provides mandatory funding of the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) and addresses the national park maintenance backlog.

“The Great American Outdoors Act strikes the critical balance of expanding outdoor recreation access and conserving our nation’s public lands and waters – issues that are top of mind for millions of Americans who go boating each year,” said Frank Hugelmeyer, president of the National Marine Manufacturers Association. “Thanks to the unwavering support and leadership from Senator Cory Gardner and Senator Joe Manchin, this historic legislation is on the verge of becoming the law of the land, and we encourage Congress to pass this commonsense measure in short order.”

“During this difficult time for the outdoor industry, one bright spot has been Americans’ increased appreciation for time spent outside. A major congressional proposal that could help our nation’s economy, jobs and rural communities come back from this pandemic, and Americans safely experience all the outdoors has to offer, is the Great American Outdoors Act (GAOA),” said Jessica (Wahl) Turner, executive director of Outdoor Recreation Roundtable. “We appreciate all of Senator Gardner’s efforts, and many others’ support, to secure this vital vote on GAOA in early June. We urge all congressional members who care about small businesses, resilient communities and healthy people to vote for this legislation.”

“The outdoor industry applauds the U.S. Senate for seizing the opportunity to pass the Great American Outdoors Act, a landmark piece of bipartisan legislation,” said Lise Aangeenbrug, Outdoor Industry Association executive director. “Along with the social and health benefits that being outdoors provides, there is also a strong economic case for doing this now. The outdoors are bipartisan, and investing in LWCF means investing in local economies and creating thousands of jobs – both of which we desperately need right now to help the country bounce back from COVID-19.”