Yesterday, the House passed the Great American Outdoors Act by a bipartisan vote of 310-107. ORR members were at the forefront of this landmark legislation, leading the effort to include maintenance backlog funding for the U.S. Forest Service, Bureau of Land Management and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service; bringing together 127 outdoor recreation businesses in support of GAOA; garnering House support and much more. We thank all of our members for their tireless work to pass this legislation.

“The outdoor recreation industry is ready to usher in the next golden age of the outdoor experiences after the House passed, in bipartisan fashion, the Great American Outdoors Act,” said Jessica Wahl, executive director of Outdoor Recreation Roundtable. “GAOA is a major 21st century achievement and a reminder that when all sides work together, we can accomplish great things for the outdoors and the nation. We applaud House leaders— particularly Speaker Pelosi, Representatives Cunningham and Simpson, among many others — for helping to get this done. We urge President Trump to sign this bill into law as soon as possible so the outdoor recreation sector can help drive economic recovery in communities across the country and all Americans can connect with outdoor experiences that improve health and quality of life.”

ORR member organizations and businesses sent a thank you video message to members of congress for passing the Great American Outdoors Act and additional ORR member quotes are included below:

“If you’re an RVer, or any kind of outdoor recreation enthusiast, the Great American Outdoors Act is the best thing to happen to our community in six decades,” said Craig Kirby, president of the RV Industry Association. “Thank you to those Members of Congress, especially the RV Caucus members, who voted in favor of this landmark legislation that will direct significant funds toward critical deferred maintenance and campground modernization needs on our public lands and waters. Twenty million RVers across the country depend on our iconic state and federal lands for recreation, conservation, enjoyment, and overnight camping. Enactment of this milestone legislation will mean increased recreation access for all no matter where they live, allowing more Americans to find fulfillment in living an active outdoor lifestyle.”

“Public lands are critical for providing recreational fishing opportunities throughout the nation,” said Glenn Hughes, president of the American Sportfishing Association. “The Great American Outdoors Act will provide long overdue funding to benefit current and future public lands at the local, state and federal levels. Enactment of this historic legislation will benefit recreational fishing, and outdoor recreation in general, for decades to come.”

“For literally millions of small businesses located in gateway communities near national parks and forests, including private RV parks and campgrounds, the passage of this historic legislation will increase opportunities for people to recreate outdoors and support all businesses that make up the outdoor recreation industry,” said Paul Bambei, president and CEO of the National Association of RV Parks and Campgrounds (ARVC). “The Great American Outdoors Act being considered in the House is historic legislation and ARVC would like to thank the House members who have shown support not only for our nation’s most beautiful outdoor spaces but the businesses that rely on those destinations for a large part of their success.”

The House passage yesterday follows the bipartisan Senate passage of GAOA in June.

Category: News