At a White House ceremony on Tuesday, President Donald Trump signed the Great American Outdoors Act into law.
Montana Senator Steve Daines, who along with fellow Senator Jon Tester and Congressman Greg Gianforte helped shepherd the bipartisan conservation bill through Congress and to the President’s desk.
Daines addressed the President from the podium at the White House.
“Thank you, Mr. President,” said Daines. “This really is a great day for Montana. This is a great day for America. This is a great day for conservation and all of us who love the great outdoors.”
Daines looked back at the long effort to bring the bill to the President’s desk.
“This was going to be the greatest achievement in 50 years for conservation in its broadest context,” he said. “And you said to me, Mr. President, you said, you get this bill on my desk, and I’ll sign it. Well, five months later, we’re here. And thanks to so many in this room and outside this room, we got this bill to your desk and you’re going to sign it.”
Daines took the opportunity to thank the many in Congress who worked for and voted for the bill.
“This is a big win for conservation,” he said. “It’s a big win for jobs. It’s a big win for our Montana way of life. It’s a big win for bipartisanship. And perhaps it’s only fitting it took public lands to bring a divided government together. Mr. President, Montana thanks you.”
The bill also permanently funds the Land and Water Conservation Fund.