U.S. SENATE – U.S. Senator Steve Daines, the top Republican on the Senate National Parks Subcommittee, today led a hearing on the implementation of the historic conservation bill, “Great American Outdoors Act” or “GAOA,” which Daines championed in 2020.
To watch Daines’ full opening remarks, click HERE.
“This bill was one of the greatest conservation victories in the last 50 years. Republicans and Democrats came together to pass a historic bill that would invest in our parks, public lands, and outdoor recreation economies and permanently fund the Land and Water Conservation program. As a fifth generation Montanan and avid outdoorsman and sportsman, I understand the importance of protecting our public lands, which is why I worked hard with Chairman Manchin and Chairman King to get the Great American Outdoors Act signed into law,” Daines said. – Click HERE for video of the statement.
Daines also highlighted his concerns with the Biden administration’s actions to halt oil and gas leasing on public lands, which is a critical to the continued implementation of the “Great American Outdoors Act.”
“The Great American Outdoors Act was successful because it took the revenues generated on our public lands and waters from oil and gas development and reinvested them back into conserving and restoring those same public lands. Now, despite the bipartisan work in Congress, this Administration is threatening the funding for this important program. Biden and his team continue to do all in their power to stop oil and gas leasing on public lands which directly threatens the programs in the Great American Outdoors Act. I am extremely concerned and disappointed in the Biden Administration’s anti-energy policies and urge the Department of the Interior to immediately resume leasing so that these programs can continue long into the future,” Daines added. – Click HERE for video of the statement.
Background:
Daines was instrumental in the passage of the “Great American Outdoors Act.” To learn more about his efforts to secure mandatory funding of the Land Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) and address the maintenance backlog facing national parks and public lands, click HERE.
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Contact: Rachel Dumke, Katie Schoettler