[Congressional Bills 116th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. Res. 629 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

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116th CONGRESS
  2d Session
S. RES. 629

           Designating June 2020 as ``Great Outdoors Month''.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                             June 18, 2020

   Mr. Daines (for himself, Mr. Peters, Mrs. Shaheen, Mr. King, Mr. 
    Cramer, Ms. McSally, Mr. Gardner, and Ms. Hirono) submitted the 
   following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on the 
                               Judiciary

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
           Designating June 2020 as ``Great Outdoors Month''.

Whereas hundreds of millions of individuals in the United States participate in 
        outdoor recreation annually;
Whereas Congress enacted the Outdoor Recreation Jobs and Economic Impact Act of 
        2016 (Public Law 114-249; 130 Stat. 999) to assess and analyze the 
        outdoor recreation economy of the United States and the effects 
        attributable to the outdoor recreation economy on the overall economy of 
        the United States;
Whereas the Outdoor Recreation Satellite Account updated in September 2019 by 
        the Bureau of Economic Analysis of the Department of Commerce shows that 
        outdoor recreation contributed more than $427,000,000,000 of current-
        dollar gross domestic product to the economy of the United States in 
        2017, comprising approximately 2.2 percent of the current-dollar gross 
        domestic product;
Whereas the Outdoor Recreation Satellite Account shows that, in 2017, the 
        outdoor recreation sector experienced faster growth in real gross 
        output, compensation, and employment than the overall economy of the 
        United States, while also providing 5,200,000 jobs across the United 
        States;
Whereas the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2019 (Public Law 116-6; 133 Stat. 
        13) encouraged the Department of Commerce to continue its work with the 
        Outdoor Recreation Satellite Account;
Whereas regular outdoor recreation is associated with economic growth, positive 
        health outcomes, and better quality of life;
Whereas many outdoor recreation businesses are small businesses, which have been 
        heavily impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic;
Whereas, as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, many outdoor recreation 
        businesses have experienced decreases in sales and have furloughed or 
        laid off employees;
Whereas outdoor recreation businesses are cornerstones of rural communities and 
        outdoor recreation is part of the national heritage of the United 
        States; and
Whereas June 2020 is an appropriate month to designate as ``Great Outdoors 
        Month'' to provide an opportunity to celebrate the importance of the 
        great outdoors: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the Senate--
            (1) designates June 2020 as ``Great Outdoors Month''; and
            (2) encourages all individuals in the United States to 
        responsibly participate in recreation activities in the great 
        outdoors during June 2020 and year-round.
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