The Land and Water Conservation Fund, America’s most important conservation and recreation program, has been permanently reauthorized. But the job is not finished. We must ensure that this wildly successful 55-year-old program will not continue to get less than half its authorized funding every year but will continue to protect land, water, and history across the country permanently, by enacting full and dedicated funding. We must also provide for the maintenance of these public treasures. The Great American Outdoors Act accomplishes all of this.
Now is the time to contact your Representative to urge them to support the Great American Outdoors Act (and thank Representative Joe Cunningham for leading the GAOA effort in the House and Representative James E. Clyburn for co-sponsoring). Not sure who to contact or how to reach them? Look up your Representative here.
Talking Points
– I strongly support the Land and Water Conservation Fund. I expect Congress to continue to support the continued use of our royalties from offshore energy development for conservation and recreation as intended by the LWCF Act for over half a century.
-I thank Congress for acting on a long-term solution for reauthorization of this critical program and look forward to further action on dedicated funding of LWCF through the Great American Outdoors Act.
-Lack of consistent dedicated full funding for LWCF means that expanded hunting and fishing access will remain closed to the public and hiking, biking, climbing and paddling routes will become overcrowded or left vulnerable to development.
-This hurts America’s $887 billion recreation economy and the 7.6 million American jobs on which it depends.
-The federal government, through LWCF, has long been a partner in creating urban parks across the country, particularly through State and Local assistance grants. LWCF has funded playgrounds, ball fields, and neighborhood parks providing close-to-home recreation for millions of American families.
-Bipartisan support for LWCF in Congress has been strong and consistent for over half a century. Overwhelming majorities in the House and Senate passed LWCF’s permanent reauthorization last year, and another overwhelming majority in the Senate (including both of South Carolina’s Senators) just passed the Great American Outdoors Act.
-I hope you will stand up and defend our most important conservation and recreation program, the Land and Water Conservation Fund, by voting “Yes” on the Great American Outdoors Act. To do otherwise will hurt both urban and rural communities in every state.
First Time Calling? Here are some Tips!
-Introduce yourself, where you are from in the district/state, why you are calling.
-Mention your personal connection to the Land and Water Conservation Fund–public lands in your state, local parks in your community, vacations to National Parks, hunting trips, importance to your business, etc.
-Ask your Member of Congress to do whatever it takes to make sure the Great American Outdoors Act passes and LWCF is permanently guaranteed full, dedicated funding at the now permanently authorized level of $900M each year.
-Note that threats to the annual budget for LWCF are very concerning, and dedicated funding would be a smarter way to go.
-Additional talking points are above with more details.
-Thank the person you are speaking to for their time and for passing on your concerns.
