Committee Advances Bipartisan, Bicameral Legislation Reauthorizing the Legacy Restoration Fund

Today, the House Committee on Natural Resources favorably reported H.R. 9250.

"This year, Americans are celebrating our nation's 250th birthday. In the spirit of 1776, Congress is coming together to enhance access, improve visitor experiences and create new outdoor recreation opportunities at 'America's Best Idea' - our national parks and public lands - and invest in Bureau of Indian Education facilities. This legislation conserves these uniquely American places and will create new opportunities in rural gateway and tribal communities. I would like to thank my bipartisan colleagues on the House Committee on Natural Resources for working together to advance this important legislation." - House Committee on Natural Resources Chairman Bruce Westerman (R-Ark.)

"This moment reflects the overwhelming sentiment of the American people who believe our national parks and our public lands are treasures that have to be protected. And this bill will reauthorize one of our nation's most successful investments in the National Park System. The projects this bill funds improve visitor experiences. They make our parks safer. They help protect our treasured public lands for the next generation. As we get ready to celebrate our 250th birthday, I'm glad Chairman Westerman and I could work together with our Senate counterparts. This has been a complicated journey, but our parks and public lands will be better off for these efforts." - House Committee on Natural Resources Ranking Member Jared Huffman (D-Calif.)

Background

H.R. 9250 invests $1.9 billion annually in America's national parks, public lands and Bureau of Indian Education (BIE) facilities over each of the next five years. Funded by private donations, onshore energy revenue, licensing of Department of the Interior (DOI) intellectual property and new foreign visitor fees, the legislation enhances access, invests in some of our nation's most treasured assets, creates new jobs and revitalizes rural, gateway economies.

Specifically, the legislation:

• Targets high-priority deferred maintenance projects within each federal land management agency and the BIE.
• Restores campgrounds, trails, boat ramps, hunting and fishing sites and other recreational infrastructure to unleash new outdoor recreation opportunities for sportsmen and women and improve visitor experiences.
• Supports 72,500 jobs across the country and $26.4 billion in revenue for rural gateway and tribal communities neighboring our national parks, forests, wildlife refuges and public lands.
• Promotes transparency and accountability by streamlining procurement, expediting project reviews and requiring regular reporting.
• Does not allow for new federal land acquisition.
• Creates new, sustainable funding sources through foreign visitor fees, and licensing DOI intellectual property and incentivizing private donations.