Historic progress No images? Click here John, Last Wednesday was a monumental day for public lands across the country. The US House passed the Great American Outdoors Act (GAOA) with strong bipartisan support, to ensure full, dedicated, permanent funding of the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF). This is incredible news for public lands, outdoor recreation, and communities across the state and country. Thank our Congressional Representatives for passing this vital legislation for public lands! The LWCF provides $900 million dollars of non-taxpayer funding for our public lands every year, but Congress regularly diverts much of that money. When signed into law, the GAOA will make sure this money is fully devoted to its intended use – improving and creating parks, trails, wildlife refuges, and other public outdoor spaces across the country. The GAOA also includes $9.5 billion to address the long list of maintenance needs in our national parks. Many of our Congressional Representatives are ardent supporters of public lands and helped make sure this historic bill becomes law. Help us thank them for passing the Great American Outdoors Act! As the pandemic continues to hurt our families, communities, and economies, we must ensure that public lands and waters can accommodate a recovering Washington and country with ample infrastructure in good, safe working condition. The Great American Outdoors Act will help invest in outdoor-related businesses, small and large, in urban and rural communities. It will help restore and create jobs, and expand access to public, close-to-home recreation opportunities as we continue to rely on the outdoors for our mental and physical health. Community members, activists, and legislators have been working for decades to achieve permanent and full funding of the LWCF, to make sure this vital conservation program supports outdoor access, recreation, and community spaces for generations to come. Passage through the House is the second-to-last step. This landmark bill now goes to the President’s desk to be signed into law. Thanks for all you do, Hau'oli Kahaleuahi |