[Congressional Record Volume 162, Number 43 (Thursday, March 17, 2016)]
[Senate]
[Page S1594]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Mr. WYDEN:
  S. 2706. A bill to promote innovative approaches to outdoor 
recreation on Federal land and to open up opportunities for 
collaboration with non-Federal partners, and for other purposes; to the 
Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.
  Mr. WYDEN. Mr. President, last summer, I set out on a tour of 
Oregon's Seven Wonders to hear from Oregonians in every corner of the 
State about how to improve access to outdoor recreation. Recreation is 
a big economic multiplier for my State, and Oregonians are the true 
experts on--outdoor recreation--it is in our DNA.
  Oregon's recreation and tourism economy generates an estimated $10 
billion a year in direct economic impact for the state and supports 
more than 101,000 jobs--enough people essentially to fill every seat in 
Autzen and Reser stadiums, home to the University of Oregon Ducks and 
Oregon State Beavers. Recreation supports communities and businesses 
large and small throughout urban and rural Oregon and can have 
astounding benefits on veterans, youth, and seniors.
  Not only do you have outfitters and the crafts people who produce 
recreation products, like canoes, kayaks, bikes, and fishing poles, 
recreation supports the broader travel and tourism industry including 
equipment retailers and gear shops. But the benefit doesn't stop when 
the sun goes down. Then visitors go to the brewpubs and restaurants, 
and they stay overnight at the hotels and the motels. So what we need 
to do is ensure that recreation is a higher priority for the future so 
it can continue to boost economies large and small.
  Yet on my tour of Oregon's Seven Wonders, I consistently heard one 
troubling theme that's yanking our recreation economy's potential back 
down to earth. Simply put, red tape is tying down the opportunities for 
Oregon recreation and tourism to lift off to even greater heights. 
Outfitters and guides must navigate confusing permit processes only to 
wait months or years for their permits to get approved, and outdoor 
enthusiasts searching for outdoor recreation opportunities often get 
lost in the paperwork before they ever hit the trails.
  That is why today I am introducing the Recreation Not Red-Tape, RNR, 
Act to ensure that recreation is a priority for Federal agencies and to 
cut the bureaucratic red tape in the recreation permitting process to 
make accessing outdoor recreation opportunities easier and much more 
fun. I gathered input from Oregonians who enjoy public lands, 
entrepreneurs in the outdoor travel and tourism industry, and community 
leaders from Oregon and across the Nation. The bill focuses on making 
sure everyone has easier access to the outdoors, recognizing and 
building on recreation as an economic driver, and making the repair and 
management of our recreational public lands easier. Additionally, the 
bill supports improving access to outdoor recreation for veterans, 
seniors, and youth.
  My friend and colleague, Representative Earl Blumenauer, is today 
introducing the House companion of the Recreation Not Red-Tape Act. The 
bill is supported by over 50 Oregon and national organizations, from 
American Alpine Club to Vet Voice.
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