[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 160 (2014), Part 10]
[House]
[Page 14878]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




 COMMEMORATING THE 50TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE LAND AND WATER CONSERVATION 
                                  FUND

  (Mr. GIBSON asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute.)
  Mr. GIBSON. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to commemorate the 50th 
anniversary of the Land and Water Conservation Fund. This landmark 
legislation was initially passed in 1964, permanently paving the way 
for the protection and growth of our Nation's natural resources.
  Mr. Speaker, New York's 19th Congressional District is home to some 
of the most amazing scenery in the Nation. Constituents in our district 
can walk and bike in the Hudson and Mohawk Valleys; they can hike 
through the Catskill Mountains and paddle along the streams that feed 
into the Hudson River.
  I'm proud to say my constituents know how important it is to preserve 
and protect our land. The Land and Water Conservation Fund has been a 
tremendous success for New York State.
  It has been estimated that outdoor recreational activity supports 
over 300,000 jobs for New York and that over 4 million New Yorkers 
participate in hunting, fishing, and viewing wildlife each year.
  Additionally, my district benefits from the Forest Legacy Program 
funded under the LWCF. This program helps States preserve and maintain 
their forest land.
  Mr. Speaker, next year, we will have the opportunity to reauthorize 
LWCF. I would encourage all my colleagues in the House and Senate to 
reflect on the legislation's success, recognize our Nation's legacy of 
historic beauty, and to support the reauthorization next year.

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