Designating June 2026 as “Great Outdoors Month”.

Designating June 2026 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 March 2026 by the Bureau of Economic Analysis of the Department of Commerce, shows that outdoor recreation generated $696,700,000,000 in economic output in 2024, comprising approximately 2.4 percent of the current-dollar gross domestic product of the United States;

Whereas the Outdoor Recreation Satellite Account shows that, in 2024, real gross output for the outdoor recreation economy increased 2.0 percent, outdoor recreation compensation increased 5.2 percent, and employment increased 1.1 percent;

Whereas the Great American Outdoors Act (Public Law 116–152; 134 Stat. 682) provides billions of dollars to help eliminate the maintenance backlog on public lands and waters and fully funds the Land and Water Conservation Fund;

Whereas regular outdoor recreation is associated with economic growth, positive health outcomes, and better quality of life;

Whereas outdoor recreation activities at the Federal, State, and local levels have seen a recent surge in participation;

Whereas many outdoor recreation businesses are small businesses that are cornerstones of rural communities, and outdoor recreation is part of the national heritage of the United States;

Whereas it is imperative that the United States ensures that access to outdoor recreation is available to all its people for generations to come; and

Whereas June 2026 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 2026 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 2026 and year round.