First-Ever Outdoor Recreation Package will Supercharge the $1.2 Trillion Outdoor Recreation Economy and Support all Americans
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Outdoor Recreation Roundtable (ORR) celebrates the U.S. Senate’s historic passage of the Expanding Public Lands Outdoor Recreation Experiences (EXPLORE) Act, a groundbreaking bipartisan achievement that cements the outdoor recreation industry as a cornerstone of America’s economy and a necessity to quality of life for all Americans. The legislation passed the House in April and now advances to the President’s desk to be signed into law.
Jessica Wahl Turner, President of the Outdoor Recreation Roundtable, lauded the Senate’s action, stating, “Today’s passage of the EXPLORE Act will supercharge the outdoor recreation industry and is a victory for our economy, our communities, our quality of life, and our shared connection to the outdoors. By advancing this transformative legislation, Congress has shown its commitment to ensuring every American has access to world-class outdoor experiences, from our backyard to the backcountry, while supporting the businesses, workers, and communities who make those experiences possible.
“Passing the EXPLORE Act is the result of the hard work of so many, including sponsors Chairman Joe Manchin, Ranking Member John Barrasso, Chairman Bruce Westerman, and Ranking Member Raúl Grijalva, and many Senators and Representatives whose bills are included in the package, communities across the nation, outdoor recreation businesses, local and state elected leaders and stakeholders over many years. We are deeply thankful to our congressional champions and their staff, our ORR members, and all who helped pass this crucial legislation and are proud to celebrate this moment with the nation and our ORR members who really lead the way.
“With the EXPLORE Act now poised for the President’s signature and implementation, ORR looks forward to working with the next administration, Congress, state governments, Tribes, and local communities to support a cornerstone of our economy, public health, and quality of life, and all who rely on it. We are ready to get to work helping millions of Americans—from 4th graders exploring national parks, to veterans seeking solace in nature and businesses recovering from natural disasters like Hurricane Helene through expanded outdoor access, modernized recreation policies, and economic growth across the nation.”
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ABOUT ORR
The Outdoor Recreation Roundtable is the nation’s leading coalition of outdoor recreation associations representing the more than 110,000 outdoor businesses in the recreation economy and the full spectrum of outdoor-related activities. The most recent data from the U.S. Department of Commerce shows that outdoor recreation generated $1.2 trillion in economic output (2.3% of GDP), 5 million jobs and comprises 3.1% of U.S. employees.