Hunting News

Great American Outdoor Act passes; to be signed into law

Great American Outdoor Act passes; to be signed into law

By Safari Club International

On July 22, the U.S. House of Representatives passed the Great American Outdoors Act, one of the most meaningful pieces of legislation in American history when it comes to protecting the nation’s wild places and wild things, and providing the public with opportunities to explore and recreate in the great outdoors.

The bill passed the U.S. House 310 - 107. The Senate version of the bill was passed on June 22. The bill now heads to President Donald Trump’s desk to be signed into law.

“Today’s House passage of the Great American Outdoors Act is a landmark moment in the rich and unparalleled history of American conservation,” said SCI CEO W. Laird Hamberlin.

“Thank you, Congressmen Mike Simpson and Joe Cunningham, for your leadership in shepherding this bill to President Trump’s desk for his signature. The unprecedented groundswell of support from SCI members nationwide has made a real impact and their voices will echo across our public lands long after this Act becomes law for the benefit and enjoyment of the American people,” he said.

The Act will provide $9.5 billion over five years to address the crumbling infrastructure on America’s public lands and waters, with $6.5 billion in funding going to the National Park Service and an additional $3 billion in funding to repair and maintain infrastructure on public lands overseen by the Bureau of Land Management, U.S. Fish and Wildlife and U.S. Forest Service.

These funds will be used to repair roads, build trails, and improve access for hunting and fishing on public lands and waters across the country.

The Act will also provide full and permanent funding, $900 million annually, for the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF). The LWCF was established by Congress in 1964 to support conservation efforts across the country by purchasing land, implementing easements and leveraging funding through various federal, local, and state partners.

The LWCF has funded almost 50,000 projects to date, spanning nearly every county in America, from vast National Forests to small, local parks. Ensuring full and permanent funding for future land acquisition efforts will continue to make immediate impacts on wildlife conservation efforts and increase access for hunting and fishing across the country.

Since the day it was introduced, Safari Club International worked tirelessly to advance this legislation. The Great American Outdoors Act was one of the primary focuses of SCI’s recent Virtual Advocacy Week and Senators Cory Gardner (R-CO) and Steve Daines (R-MT), two of the bill’s primary sponsors, joined the program live to provide updates on the positive impact that the Act will have in their home states and across the country.

Over the last few months, thousands of SCI members joined a grassroots campaign through the Hunter Advocacy Action Center to urge their respective members of Congress to support the bill, making it the most extensive grassroots advocacy campaign in the organization’s history. The hunting community made their voices heard in the halls of Congress like never before. With history made, the future looks bright for America’s hunting and fishing community.

Safari Club International—First For Hunters is the leader in protecting the freedom to hunt and in promoting wildlife conservation worldwide. SCI's approximately 200 Chapters represent all 50 of the United States as well as 106 other countries. SCI's proactive leadership in a host of cooperative wildlife conservation, outdoor education and humanitarian programs, with the SCI Foundation and other conservation groups, research institutions and government agencies, empowers sportsmen to be contributing community members and participants in sound wildlife management and conservation. For more information visit www.SafariClub.org.

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