Sarbanes Votes to Preserve and Protect America’s National Parks and Public Lands

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congressman John Sarbanes (D-Md.) today voted to pass the Great American Outdoors Act, a bipartisan bill he co-sponsored to fully and permanently finance the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) and help protect America's parks, public lands and outdoor recreational spaces.

"Our national, state and local parks, forests, wildlife refuges and public lands provide Americans with unique and fulfilling opportunities to get outside and experience our natural world," said Congressman Sarbanes. "Today, my colleagues and I joined forces – across the aisle – to make a lasting investment in our outdoor spaces and help boost local economies that benefit tremendously from our national environmental treasures."

In 2018 alone, national park visits generated more than $20 billion in revenue for hotels, restaurants, retail stores, and other amenities in surrounding communities, supporting more than 329,000 jobs and creating more than $40 billion in total economic output. Across the country, outdoor recreation contributes hundreds of billions of dollars in annual consumer spending and supports millions of jobs.

A recent study conducted by the U.S. Geological Survey and the National Park Service found that the Great American Outdoors Act will support more than100,000 direct and indirect jobs.

See here for more information about the bill.

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