National Policy Update – June 2020
The Senate returned to Washington, D.C., to conduct normal business, while the House implemented a virtual committee schedule. The House will return to D.C. when considering legislation on the floor.
The Great American Outdoors Act
On June 17, the Senate passed the Great American Outdoors Act in an historic vote of 73-25. The bipartisan legislation fully dedicates $900 million to the Land and Water Conservation Fund and addresses the nearly $20 billion in maintenance backlogs on our public lands and waters.
Following Senate passage, BHA’s focus has pivoted to the House, where we urge representatives to cosponsor the House companion bill, H.R. 7092, and swiftly consider the clean bill that recently passed the Senate. We expect the House to consider it at the end of July.
Watch Land Tawney and Reps. Cunningham (D-SC) and Fitzpatrick (R-PA) discuss the House strategy behind getting the Great American Outdoors Act passed without amendments. The congressmen emphasized the need to contact your representative and urge him or her to cosponsor H.R. 7092 and pass a clean Great American Outdoors Act without amendments. You can also call the Capitol switchboard at 202-224-3121 or use our legislator directory to find your representative’s direct number.