The Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee approved legislation Wednesday that would reauthorize expired portions of the 2020 Great American Outdoors Act.
Now that both chambers have similar compromise bills on securing funding for parks and public lands, sponsors are eyeing an accelerated timeline for getting President Donald Trump’s signature.
The Senate panel cleared an amended version of the “America the Beautiful Act,” S. 1547, by voice vote. The bill from Sens. Steve Daines (R-Mont.) and Angus King (I-Maine) would revamp the Legacy Restoration Fund, which addresses a lengthy backlog of repairs at the National Park Service and other public lands. Daines said he’d like it to become law by Independence Day.
House Natural Resources Chair Bruce Westerman (R-Ark.) — who has his own reauthorization bill, the “Great American Outdoors Act 250” — said he was willing to proceed with the Senate version to meet the deadline.
