[Congressional Record Volume 166, Number 111 (Tuesday, June 16, 2020)]
[Senate]
[Page S2982]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                      GREAT AMERICAN OUTDOORS ACT

  Mr. McCONNELL. Madam President, the Senate will first pass the Great 
American Outdoors Act. It will be a big step in the history of our 
Nation's public lands and great news for their future.
  This bill is the product of a lot of hard work by many of our 
colleagues on both sides of the aisle. It has two clear purposes: It 
will restore access and function to parks and facilities that have been 
neglected, and it will secure a stable flow of resources to support 
recreation and conservation well into the future.
  I have detailed in recent days just how many Americans rely on our 
Nation's public lands--from the guides and outfitters who cater to the 
booming outdoor recreation economy; to the hotel workers, restaurant 
owners, and gateway communities that welcome hundreds of millions of 
annual visitors; to the researchers who study historic sites and unique 
habitats; to the hunters, anglers, sportsmen, and American families who 
explore millions of acres of open space.
  It is clear that a bright economic future for America is intertwined 
with this precious resource, so backlogged maintenance and delayed 
upkeep are a real problem. Too often, tough budgetary choices have left 
important facilities worn down and natural treasures inaccessible. I am 
proud that this legislation before us will tackle these critical 
missions, but you certainly don't have to take my word for it; you can 
look to the list of no fewer than 60 cosponsors on both sides of the 
aisle or to the 80 Senators who voted to advance consideration of the 
bill last week, or you could sample from the ringing endorsements of an 
impressive cross-section of American recreation and conservation 
advocates.
  Take, for example, the letter the Democratic leader and I received 
from the last six former Secretaries of the Interior. Men and women who 
served under Presidents of both parties came together to tell us that 
``the Great American Outdoors Act will help ensure a better, brighter 
future for nature and for all of us.''
  Hundreds of advocacy organizations, from the Sierra Club to the 
American Sportfishing Association, also approve. They say the bill 
``will ensure that our parks and other public lands continue to 
preserve our nation's heritage and recreation opportunities, and that 
local communities and economies . . . will continue to flourish.''
  It is not often that we are presented with the opportunity to take 
overwhelmingly bipartisan action that will affect a monumental part of 
American life for so many years to come, and the opportunity in front 
of us this week comes thanks to the dedicated work of several of our 
colleagues.
  In particular, I would like to thank Senator Daines and Senator 
Gardner once again for their extraordinary leadership. I look forward 
to seeing their efforts across the finish line, and I urge all Members 
to join me in supporting this bill and securing our natural wonders for 
generations of Americans yet to come.

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