Friends,

I’m writing to you today to celebrate a big accomplishment – the four-year anniversary of my Great American Outdoors Act!

Several years ago, America was facing a frustrating problem: a tremendous maintenance backlog at our national parks. It was endangering the long-term accessibility of our parks, which is bad for the environment and the economy. That’s why I got together a bipartisan gang and got something done. In a tremendously gridlocked Congress, we passed the Great American Outdoors Act with a broad bipartisan margin to create jobs and improve our parks.

Since then, it’s been delivering big for Virginia. Here are (just a few) examples of projects this game-changing law has funded:

The George Washington Memorial Parkway received $207.8 million to repair bridges, prevent sinkholes, and address other major safety concerns. The GW Parkway carries 26 million drivers annually, so these repairs are an investment in continuing to get scores of Northern Virginians where they need to go. 

Colonial National Historic Park received $128 million to rehabilitate 10 miles of the Colonial Parkway from Yorktown to Williamsburg to make the road safer, reduce flooding, and fix old bridges. It also received almost $12 million to fix coastal erosion along the York River.

The Blue Ridge Parkway received $67.8 million to improve road conditions. A key road for tourism and economic development, investments in the Blue Ridge Parkway pay dividends across Virginia.

Shenandoah National Park received $26 million to improve Skyline Drive, a key engine for local tourism. It also received $3.5 million to demolish unused structures, a smart investment that’s going to eliminate the need for unnecessary maintenance down the line, AND $20 million to improve the water system that serves the park. 

But that’s not all… tons of other parks across the Commonwealth are receiving funding for other projects, too.

Each of these projects will protect beautiful landscapes and make thoughtful investments in Virginia’s economy. We’re creating jobs that make our roads safer, our commutes more efficient, and our businesses more connected. We’re keeping Virginia competitive for generations to come. I’m proud to have written and passed the GAOA, and I’m ready to keep working to shore up our economy and create jobs making our Commonwealth stronger and more beautiful.

If you want to get in touch with me about our parks or another issue that is important to you, I encourage you to reach out to me using the form on my Senate website. You can also follow me on Facebook, Instagram, Threads, or Twitter. I look forward to hearing from you. 

Sincerely,