For the second year in a row, the U.S. Senate has unanimously designated June “Great Outdoors Month!” Active outdoor fun on America’s public lands and waters continues to enjoy bipartisan support. The resolution was introduced by Senator Steve Daines (R-MT), and was cosponsored by Senators Gary Peters (D-MI), Cory Gardner (R-CO), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Jim Risch (R-ID), Mazie Hirono (D-HI), Joni Ernst (R-IA), Martin Heinrich (D-NM) and Amy Klobuchar (D-MN). Read the full resolution here.
The Senate’s message encourages “all people in the United States to recreate in the great outdoors in June 2018 and year-round.” The resolution references new information from the Bureau of Economic Analysis’ Outdoor Recreation Satellite Account – which shows that outdoor recreation accounts for 2% of the country’s Gross Domestic Product – and praises the healthful benefits of time outdoors, saying, “…regular outdoor recreation is associated with positive health outcomes and better quality of life.”
Senator Daines also took to the Senate floor June 26 to celebrate Great Outdoors Month®, recognizing the economic importance and social benefits of outdoor recreation in Montana and across the country and encouraging all Americans to enjoy the Great Outdoors. “For Montanans, nothing beats getting outdoors – hunting, fishing, skiing, backpacking, snowmobiling. You name it – it’s our way of life in Montana,” he said. “That’s why I’m excited to announce that June is National Great Outdoors Month.” Click here to see his full comments.
The Senate joins the President and all 50 Governors in recognizing the importance of outdoor recreation at the local, state and federal levels.