WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congressman Adam Smith (D-Wash.) issued the following statement after the House passed the Great American Outdoors Act:
“The Great American Outdoors Act is one of the most significant investments in environmental conservation in a generation. The bill provides permanent, full funding for the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF), a vital program for Washington state and the most successful conservation program to conserve public lands, increase access to green spaces for underserved and low-income communities, and preserve natural habitats.
“The bill also creates the National Parks and Public Land Legacy Restoration Fund to help address the backlog of desperately needed repairs of trails, buildings, and other public infrastructure within the National Park Service, U.S. Forest Service, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Bureau of Land Management, and Bureau of Indian Education.
“As the impacts of climate change increasingly harm communities around the country, this bill is an enormously important investment in our children, our environment, and our quality of life that will help protect the great outdoors for generations to come.”
###