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[Pages S2840-S2841]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
THE GREAT AMERICAN OUTDOORS ACT
Mr. McCONNELL. Madam President, now on to an entirely different
matter. Thanks to the bipartisan leadership of colleagues like Senators
Daines, Gardner, Portman, Alexander, Manchin, and Warner, we are
attending to legislation that will shape the future of the great
American outdoors for the better.
It is fitting that the legislation before us comes with support of
such a broad bipartisan coalition because our national parks, forests,
and other public lands are treasured in every State of our Union by the
hunters and anglers who look forward to the morning stillness of the
Black Hills and the Big South Fork of the Cumberland, by the hikers who
camp and plot weekend escapes in Shenandoah and Joshua Tree, by the
school groups and researchers who connect with history at Gettysburg
and Mesa Verde.
Every year, hundreds of millions of our people--our fellow Americans
and visitors from around the world--share the gift of our Nation's
public lands. Even more Americans in surrounding communities benefit
from the jobs and the prosperity that are supported by tourism and
recreation.
This country's public lands comprise a tremendously diverse array of
landscapes, wildlife, historic sites, and natural resources. They are
spread out across 419 parks, 568 refuges, and hundreds of millions of
acres of managed space.
They didn't pop up overnight. It has taken more than a century of
dedicated work to designate, acquire, and maintain the public lands
Americans enjoy today. It is the Land and Water Conservation Fund,
which this legislation will give permanent support, that makes them
accessible for generations to come.
Today, more than 5 million Americans rely directly on outdoor
recreation for their livelihood. They contribute to $778 billion in
economic activity. In recent years, their industry's growth has
outpaced an economy that was red-hot in its own right. A bright future
for our public lands is a bright future for our Nation, and a
predictable, consistent support provided by the LWCF will play a
critical role in these efforts.
Take my home State of Kentucky, for example. For years, I have been
proud to advocate for LWCF funding to conserve some of the Bluegrass's
precious wilderness and historic sites. Back in 1996, Kentucky was the
only State without a national wildlife refuge, and it was my
legislation that helped secure the creation of one at Clarks River.
Last year, additional legislation I authored helped create another
sanctuary for wildlife and recreation at the confluence of the Green
and Ohio Rivers. Already, the Fish and Wildlife Service has marked the
Green River Wildlife Refuge as the LWCF's top funding priority for the
coming year. The dedicated resources in this legislation would be
instrumental in the growth of Kentucky's newest national treasure,
along with other areas like Clarks River.
As the LWCF drives the preservation of more national wetlands,
forests, and battlefield space in Kentucky, I suspect every one of my
colleagues is equally proud of similar efforts in their own States.
This bill advances a noble cause that has added benefit of being a
sound investment.
According to one recent analysis, every dollar spent through the Land
and Water Conservation Fund turns out $4 in economic benefit. Every $1
million directed toward the LWCF in
[[Page S2841]]
turn supports as many as 30 American jobs.
So I am extremely proud to be a cosponsor of the Great American
Outdoors Act, I am proud of the work our colleagues have put in to get
it this far, and I look forward to seeing it passed.
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