[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 160 (2014), Part 2]
[House]
[Page 2181]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                       INACCESSIBLE PUBLIC LANDS

  (Mr. DAINES asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. DAINES. As a fifth generation Montanan and sportsman, I know the 
importance of protecting and preserving Montana's outdoor heritage. 
Hunting, fishing, and hiking on our public lands are important parts of 
many Montanans' way of life. It is something that my grandpa and dad 
passed on to me and something we are passing on to our kids.
  But almost 2 million acres of public lands in Montana are 
inaccessible to the public. Three other States--Wyoming, Colorado, and 
New Mexico--have more than 500,000 acres of inaccessible land to the 
public, and that is simply unacceptable. I strongly believe we must 
ensure the public has access to the public lands we already have.
  There is strong bipartisan agreement that the Land and Water 
Conservation Fund can play an important role in increasing access to 
these lands, and that is what the Making Public Lands Public Access Act 
will do. My bill seeks to increase Montanans' opportunities to enjoy 
outdoor recreation and ensure that our public lands are truly public. I 
urge support for my bill.

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