Washington, D.C. — The Outdoor Recreation Roundtable issued the following statement applauding the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee for advancing the bipartisan America the Beautiful Act and thanking Senators Daines, King, Heinrich and Lee for their leadership in strengthening and reauthorizing the National Parks and Public Land Legacy Restoration Fund:
“At a time when bipartisan solutions can be hard to find, today’s vote demonstrates that investing in America’s public lands, waters, and outdoor recreation economy remains a unifying national priority. As the backbone of a $1.3 trillion outdoor recreation economy supporting 5.2 million American jobs, our public lands and waters depend on sustained investments in access, infrastructure, and visitor experiences,” said Jessica Turner, President of the Outdoor Recreation Roundtable. “The America the Beautiful Act will help modernize campgrounds, marinas, boat launches, trails, and other critical recreation infrastructure while creating new opportunities for public-private partnerships and ensuring Americans can continue enjoying these treasured places for generations to come. These investments strengthen rural economies, support American-made outdoor products, improve public health and wellness, and create the certainty communities and businesses need to thrive. As our nation prepares to celebrate its 250th anniversary, there is no better way to honor America’s legacy than by investing in the iconic landscapes and waterways that define our national character. We urge swift passage of this bipartisan legislation on the Senate floor and look forward to working with House champions on passage to ensure these investments continue expanding access to the outdoors and preserving these treasured places for the next 250 years.”