Great American Outdoors Act

Floor Speech

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Mr. McCONNELL. Madam President, the Senate will first pass the Great American Outdoors Act. It will be a big step in the history of our Nation's public lands and great news for their future.

This bill is the product of a lot of hard work by many of our colleagues on both sides of the aisle. It has two clear purposes: It will restore access and function to parks and facilities that have been neglected, and it will secure a stable flow of resources to support recreation and conservation well into the future.

I have detailed in recent days just how many Americans rely on our Nation's public lands--from the guides and outfitters who cater to the booming outdoor recreation economy; to the hotel workers, restaurant owners, and gateway communities that welcome hundreds of millions of annual visitors; to the researchers who study historic sites and unique habitats; to the hunters, anglers, sportsmen, and American families who explore millions of acres of open space.

It is clear that a bright economic future for America is intertwined with this precious resource, so backlogged maintenance and delayed upkeep are a real problem. Too often, tough budgetary choices have left important facilities worn down and natural treasures inaccessible. I am proud that this legislation before us will tackle these critical missions, but you certainly don't have to take my word for it; you can look to the list of no fewer than 60 cosponsors on both sides of the aisle or to the 80 Senators who voted to advance consideration of the bill last week, or you could sample from the ringing endorsements of an impressive cross-section of American recreation and conservation advocates.

Take, for example, the letter the Democratic leader and I received from the last six former Secretaries of the Interior. Men and women who served under Presidents of both parties came together to tell us that ``the Great American Outdoors Act will help ensure a better, brighter future for nature and for all of us.''

Hundreds of advocacy organizations, from the Sierra Club to the American Sportfishing Association, also approve. They say the bill ``will ensure that our parks and other public lands continue to preserve our nation's heritage and recreation opportunities, and that local communities and economies . . . will continue to flourish.''

It is not often that we are presented with the opportunity to take overwhelmingly bipartisan action that will affect a monumental part of American life for so many years to come, and the opportunity in front of us this week comes thanks to the dedicated work of several of our colleagues.

In particular, I would like to thank Senator Daines and Senator Gardner once again for their extraordinary leadership. I look forward to seeing their efforts across the finish line, and I urge all Members to join me in supporting this bill and securing our natural wonders for generations of Americans yet to come.

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