What They Are Saying: MT Conservation, Public Lands Leaders Applaud Daines’ Leadership on the Great American Outdoors Act
U.S. SENATE – Today, U.S. Senator Steve Daines secured Senate passage of his bipartisan conservation bill, the “Great American Outdoors Act” out of the Senate. Daines’ bill provides full, mandatory funding of the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) and addresses the national park and public lands maintenance backlog. Here’s what Montana conservation, sportsmen and public lands leaders and stakeholders are saying about the passage of the “Great American Outdoors Act” out of the Senate. F.H. Stoltze Land & Lumber Company is very appreciative of the leadership of Senator Daines to introduce and pass the Great American Outdoors Act through the
Daines Secures Historic Senate Passage of Major Conservation Bill, the Great American Outdoors Act
U.S. SENATE – U.S. Senator Steve Daines today voted for and secured Senate passage of his bipartisan bill, the Great American Outdoors Act. Daines’ bill requires full, mandatory funding of the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) and addresses the maintenance backlog facing the nation’s national parks and public lands. Click HERE to download the video. “Today, we passed the most important conservation bill for Montana and the nation in decades – one that will increase public access to our public lands, support our national parks and importantly, protect our Montana outdoor way of life,” Daines said. “I
Montana delegation lauds passage of major conservation bill
Montana’s congressional delegation and conservation groups applauded Thursday’s passage of the Great American Outdoors Act by the U.S. Senate. The Senate voted 73-25 to pass the bill that fully funds the Land and Water Conservation Fund at $900 million annually and removes it from the annual appropriation process. The bill also generates roughly $9.5 billion to finance backlogged maintenance on federal lands, including more than $6 billion toward the more than $12 billion backlog at national parks. Democrat Sen. Jon Tester and Republican Sen. Steve Daines co-sponsored the legislation, with Daines credited with recent negotiations with President Donald Trump and
Daines Celebrates Senate Passage of Great American Outdoors Act
Montana Senator Steve Daines met with the media on Wednesday morning to celebrate the Senate’s passage of the bipartisan Great American Outdoors Act. “This has been a great day in the U.S. Senate,” said Daines. “We made history today in the United States Senate by passing the Great American Outdoors Act. We had a strong bipartisan vote or 73 to 25 because this is a bipartisan bill that protects a critical conservation program, the Land and Water Conservation Program.” Daines described just one aspect of the bill that will help rebuild our national parks. “The bill addresses our maintenance backlog that
Senate Passes Bill Permanently Funding Public Land Management Programs
The U.S. Senate on Wednesday passed a landmark bill to permanently fund public lands management programs and maintenance in national parks. Montana’s U.S. senators, Republican Steve Daines and Democrat Jon Tester, both voted in support of The Great American Outdoors Act. The Act received broad bipartisan support passing with a 73-25 vote. If approved by Congress and signed by president Donald Trump, the act promises $900 million annually for the Land and Water Conservation Fund. The LWCF uses offshore oil and gas lease royalties to pay for playgrounds, parks and other local projects. The Act also sets aside $9.5 billion
Montana senators celebrating the passage of Great Outdoors Act
MISSOULA — There was cause for celebration on Wednesday, but also a little bit of surprise because of our political divisions, as the Senate passes the Great American Outdoors Act. It’s a sweeping piece of legislation designed to provide permanent funding to the 55-year old Land and Water Conservation Act (LWCF). Montana’s senators had been expressing confidence the Great American Outdoors Act would finally succeed where other efforts had failed, permanently allocating dollars for the LWCF, the primary tool for conservation and public lands access. When the votes were counted early Wednesday, the idea passed with a huge majority across
Groups make last-minute push for lands package votes
The Senate will take the decisive vote around noon today on legislation that would authorize millions of dollars for maintaining public lands around the country. There is very little suspense about whether S. 3422 will pass. The “Great American Outdoors Act” would permanently and fully fund the Land and Water Conservation Fund and address a multibillion-dollar backlog of deferred maintenance projects across national parks and federally owned land. It is being touted as the most consequential conservation measure to be considered by Congress in decades and will be carried across the Senate finish line with bipartisan support. But wanting to take nothing
Senate passage of $2.8B conservation plan praised in Montana
The passage of the Great American Outdoors Act in the U.S. Senate on Wednesday sparked praise statewide, with Montana’s two U.S. senators saying it was an example of Washington at its bipartisan best. The bill would spend about $900 million a year — double current spending — on the Land and, Water, Conservation Fund (LWCF), and make it a permanent fund. It would also spend another $1.9 billion per year on improvements at national parks, forests, wildlife refuges and rangelands, the Associated Press reported. If passed and signed by the president, it would reportedly be the most significant conservation legislation
Senate passes major conservation package
The Senate passed the most significant conservation legislation in decades on Wednesday, clearing a package to secure steady funding for public lands that came together only after the popular bipartisan measure got a lift from election year politics. The core ideas in the bill — fully funding the Land and Water Conservation Fund at $900 million annually and providing billions to address maintenance backlogs on the nation’s public lands — have drawn significant support from both parties for years. But it was tough elections facing two of the package’s lead backers, Republican Sens. Cory Gardner of Colorado and Steve Daines