[Congressional Record Volume 160, Number 133 (Wednesday, September 17, 2014)]
[Senate]
[Pages S5660-S5661]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                    LAND AND WATER CONSERVATION FUND

  Mr. TESTER. Madam President, some of my colleagues will be coming to 
the floor later today to speak about the Land and Water Conservation 
Fund, and I am sorry I am not going to be able to join them, but LWCF 
is very important, especially to Montana, and so I want to make my 
voice heard this morning.
  LWCF turned 50 earlier this month. Passed during the Johnson 
administration, LCWF harkens back to the time when folks reached across 
the aisle to conserve our treasured lands--treasured lands that exist 
in all corners of our Nation.
  LWCF has contributed to the protection of well-known places such as 
Rocky Mountain National Park and the Appalachian Trail, but it has also 
supported lesser known but equally spectacular places such as Cherokee 
National Forest in Tennessee, Sawtooth National Recreation Area in 
Idaho, and the Flathead National Forest in my State of Montana.
  America is filled with amazing lands that make us stand in awe of 
their beauty, make us want to go out and explore, make us want to hunt, 
fish, and camp. We must make sure they are preserved for our future 
generations to enjoy just as we have been able to enjoy it.

  From hunters and anglers to ranchers and sporting goods store owners, 
LWCF is a program that simply works. It uses the funds from offshore 
oil and gas receipts for a wide array of conservation programs. Some of 
these programs increase access to public lands, others preserve natural 
resources.
  LWCF is also good for the economy. When people want to get out and 
enjoy the outdoors, they buy fly rods, tents, and hiking boots. The 
list goes on and on. Simply put, LWCF is an economic driver. America's 
outdoor economy generates nearly $650 billion each year and supports 
nearly 6 million direct jobs in many of this Nation's smallest 
communities.
  In Montana, a State with only 1 million people, outdoor recreation 
contributes nearly $6 billion each year to our economic output and 
supports some 64,000 jobs in Montana. Outdoor recreation is a part of 
who we are as Montanans, and when I drive across the State, I often see 
vehicles with stickers in the back window that say, ``Get Lost,'' but 
what those stickers are really saying is: I am headed to a trailhead 
and I am going to get lost in some of the wild places in Big Sky 
Country. This way of life is passed down from generation to generation 
and the LWCF helps us keep our outdoor heritage alive.
  We have come to expect a vibrant outdoor economy and amazing places 
to explore, but we need to remember this didn't happen by accident. It 
isn't by chance that we get to enjoy water and breathtaking landscapes.
  As one of my many heroes Teddy Roosevelt said: ``We are prone to 
speak of the resources of this country as inexhaustible, this is not 
so.''
  We invest in our majestic national park system, preserve lands from 
Alaska to Florida, and we have millions of people dedicated to 
conservation nationwide. LWCF is a critical part of our conservation 
effort, and if it is not authorized, it will run out at the end of the 
next fiscal year. As of right now, LWCF will stop strengthening our 
economy as of October 1, 2015. We must fund and reauthorize LWCF so our 
treasured places can be preserved for another 50 years and well beyond.

[[Page S5661]]

  There is still time to make sure this critical initiative continues 
and receives the full funding it needs. Full funding for LWCF is 
supported by both Republicans and Democrats.
  I wish to commend Senators Richard Burr and Lindsey Graham for their 
work on LWCF, and I look forward to working with them on full funding 
for this issue.
  I will also push my legislation that requires 1.5 percent of LWCF 
funds to go to increased public access to our public lands. Making 
public lands public is a smart bill, and I will continue to fight for 
it.
  There is a strong coalition behind LWCF, and I believe we can get 
this done by working together. Along with leaders in both the House and 
the Senate, we will show the American people we are still capable of 
working across the aisle to preserve our treasured lands and support 
our local economies.
  Montanans have favorite places to camp and fish and hike. It may be 
the Bitterroot, it may be the Crazies or it may be the Bob Marshall 
Wilderness, but we all love the outdoors. We all want to make sure our 
sons and daughters can enjoy the same beautiful outdoor places that we 
do today. This is our legacy.
  LWCF is a critical part of making sure all Americans can continue 
their outdoor traditions. It must be around for another 50 years and 
beyond.
  With that, I thank the Presiding Officer.
  I yield the floor and suggest the absence of a quorum.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will call the roll.
  The bill clerk proceeded to call the roll.
  Mr. INHOFE. Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that the order 
for the quorum call be rescinded.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.

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