The Outdoor Recreation Roundtable Association (ORRA) welcomed action by the House Natural Resources Committee to advance the Great American Outdoors Act 250, legislation that would reauthorize and strengthen the National Parks and Public Land Legacy Restoration Fund, marking another step toward full congressional consideration.
The committee, led by Chairman Bruce Westerman of Arkansas and Ranking Member Jared Huffman of California, approved the bill, which has attracted 133 bipartisan original cosponsors.
The measure would extend and expand the Legacy Restoration Fund, which was established under the Great American Outdoors Act in 2020 to support infrastructure improvements on public lands and waters.
According to a News and Insights report of RVIA on June 25, ORRA President Jessica Turner said the fund has already improved outdoor recreation access through projects completed across the country.
“The Legacy Restoration Fund has already delivered transformative results for access to outdoor recreation, funding projects nationwide and improving critical infrastructure across America’s public lands and waters,” Turner said.
She said reauthorizing and strengthening the fund, while placing additional emphasis on outdoor recreation infrastructure, would help public lands accommodate increasing visitor demand.
“This action to reauthorize and strengthen LRF now, and with new attention to outdoor recreation infrastructure projects, represents a generational opportunity to improve the experience visitors enjoy on our public lands and waters and to equip and maintain them to meet a growing interest in outdoor recreation as a cornerstone of healthy, resilient and sustainable economies and communities as we celebrate America’s 250th and for the next 250 years to come,” Turner said.
The House committee action follows a similar movement in the Senate. Last week, the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee unanimously approved comparable legislation, positioning both chambers to consider the proposals in the coming days.
According to ORRA, the Trump administration has signaled its support for the legislation, and the president hopes to sign the measure before the official celebration of America’s 250th birthday on July 4.
ORRA said it has been actively advocating for the Legacy Restoration Fund throughout the legislative process. The association recently issued a statement supporting the introduction of the Great American Outdoors Act 250 and submitted a letter backing the proposal.
The organization also supports the America the Beautiful Act, introduced by Sens. Steve Daines of Montana, Angus King of Maine, Kevin Cramer of North Dakota and Mark Warner of Virginia. According to ORRA, that measure has secured 64 bipartisan cosponsors in the Senate.
In addition, ORRA submitted a letter supporting advancement of the Senate legislation through the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee and released a statement after the committee unanimously approved the bill.
The Legacy Restoration Fund was established through the Great American Outdoors Act in 2020 and finances projects intended to improve infrastructure and expand access across America’s public lands and waters.