Sens. Collins, Udall Introduce Amendment Praising Accomplishments, Calling For Reauthorization Of Land Water Conservation Fund
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senators Susan Collins (R-ME) and Mark Udall (D-CO) introduced an amendment today to the Bipartisan Sportsmen’s Act that highlights the many important contributions of the Land Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) over the last 50 years. The amendment further states that it is the sense of the Senate that the LWCF should be reauthorized with full, permanent, and dedicated funding.
The Senators expressed their disappointment that the amendment was denied a vote before the Senate.
“In 1964, a promise was made to the American people that a small portion of proceeds from natural resource development would be invested in conservation and outdoor recreation,” Senator Collins said. “Over its 50 years, LWCF has made tremendous contributions to conservation and recreation across the country, and I am deeply concerned that funds continue to be diverted to other purposes. We will not balance our nation’s books today by shortchanging our future.”
"Fully funding and authorizing the Land and Water Conservation Fund is essential to ensuring our sportsmen and outdoor enthusiasts can more fully access and enjoy the public lands that support our special way of life in Colorado — and across the nation," Senator Udall said. "This bipartisan amendment sends a clear message that not only is the U.S. Senate invested in supporting this critical fund, but also that we will act to ensure the fund can keep faith with its mission when President Kennedy signed it into law 50 years ago."
"The Land and Water Conservation Fund is America's most important conservation program, responsible for protecting parks, wildlife refuges and recreation areas at the federal, state and local level,” said Kathy DeCoster, VP of the Trust for Public Land, on behalf of the LWCF Coalition. “For 50 years, it has provided critical funding for land and water conservation projects, recreational activities and the continued historic preservation our nation's iconic landmarks from coast-to-coast. The LWCF Coalition strongly supports Senators Collins’ and Udall’s bipartisan amendment calling for full funding and reauthorization of the Land and Water Conservation Fund in this, its 50th anniversary year.”
DeCoster also said: “LWCF does not use any taxpayer dollars—it is funded using a small portion of revenues from offshore oil and gas royalty payments. Outdoor recreation, conservation and historic preservation activities contribute more than a trillion dollars annually to the U.S. economy, supporting 9.4 million jobs. The LWCF Coalition thanks Senators Collins and Udall for their steadfast conservation leadership, and we urge all Senators to support the Collins and Udall amendment."
The bipartisan amendment is cosponsored by Senators Richard Burr (R-NC), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Lindsey Graham (R-SC), Ron Wyden (D-OR), Lamar Alexander (R-TN), John Walsh (D-MT), Rob Portman (R-OH), Patrick Leahy (D-VT), and Martin Heinrich (D-NM), and Kelly Ayotte (R-NH).
Below is the full text of the amendment:
SENSE OF THE SENATE ON THE LAND AND WATER CONSERVATION FUND
(a) Findings.—The Senate finds the following:
(1) The year 2014 marks the 50th anniversary of the establishment of the Land and Water Conservation Fund under section 2 of the Land and Water Conservation Act of 1965 (16 U.S.C. 460l–5) (referred to in this subsection as the “Fund”), the most successful and enduring conservation and outdoor recreation program of the United States.
(2) The Fund will expire in 2015 unless Congress takes action to renew this important program.
(3) The Fund has protected outdoor recreation sites in every State and nearly every county in the United States by ensuring access to hunting and fishing areas, protecting the most historic sites of the United States, supporting working forests and ranches, creating national scenic and historic trails, and conserving critical habitats.
(4) The Land and Water Conservation Fund Act of 1965 (16 U.S.C. 460l–4 et seq.) has a 50-year history of bipartisan support as, with the overwhelming support of Congress—
(A) support for the Act began during the Eisenhower Administration;
(B) the Act was proposed to Congress by President Kennedy; and
(C) the Act was signed into law by President Johnson.
(5) The Land and Water Conservation Fund Act of 1965 (16 U.S.C. 460l–4 et seq.) is fully funded, without relying on tax dollars, through the annual collection of $900,000,000 by the Treasury of the United States from a small percentage of royalties from offshore drilling and other Federal energy revenue sources.
(6) The Fund honors the principles of fiscal conservatism by reinvesting revenues from the sale of 1 national resource to protect other natural resources and ensure outdoor recreation for all people of the United States.
(7) Over the 50-year history of the Fund, more than half the amount credited to the Fund account has been diverted for other purposes.
(8) Continued investments in the Fund will stimulate the economy of the United States, create jobs, and strengthen infrastructure.
(9) Outdoor recreation and conservation activities are important economic contributors and support jobs in communities across the United States.
(10) The Fund drives local economies by growing recreational land to match increases in population and development pressure while also creating and protecting jobs in working forests and on working farms and ranches.
(b) Sense of the Senate.—It is the sense of the Senate that—
(1) the Land and Water Conservation Fund Act of 1965 (16 U.S.C. 460l–4 et seq.) should be reauthorized; and
(2) full, permanent, and dedicated funding for the Land and Water Conservation Fund would keep the promise that was made to the people of the United States in 1964 to invest a small portion of the proceeds from natural resource development in conservation and outdoor recreation.
The Senators expressed their disappointment that the amendment was denied a vote before the Senate.
“In 1964, a promise was made to the American people that a small portion of proceeds from natural resource development would be invested in conservation and outdoor recreation,” Senator Collins said. “Over its 50 years, LWCF has made tremendous contributions to conservation and recreation across the country, and I am deeply concerned that funds continue to be diverted to other purposes. We will not balance our nation’s books today by shortchanging our future.”
"Fully funding and authorizing the Land and Water Conservation Fund is essential to ensuring our sportsmen and outdoor enthusiasts can more fully access and enjoy the public lands that support our special way of life in Colorado — and across the nation," Senator Udall said. "This bipartisan amendment sends a clear message that not only is the U.S. Senate invested in supporting this critical fund, but also that we will act to ensure the fund can keep faith with its mission when President Kennedy signed it into law 50 years ago."
"The Land and Water Conservation Fund is America's most important conservation program, responsible for protecting parks, wildlife refuges and recreation areas at the federal, state and local level,” said Kathy DeCoster, VP of the Trust for Public Land, on behalf of the LWCF Coalition. “For 50 years, it has provided critical funding for land and water conservation projects, recreational activities and the continued historic preservation our nation's iconic landmarks from coast-to-coast. The LWCF Coalition strongly supports Senators Collins’ and Udall’s bipartisan amendment calling for full funding and reauthorization of the Land and Water Conservation Fund in this, its 50th anniversary year.”
DeCoster also said: “LWCF does not use any taxpayer dollars—it is funded using a small portion of revenues from offshore oil and gas royalty payments. Outdoor recreation, conservation and historic preservation activities contribute more than a trillion dollars annually to the U.S. economy, supporting 9.4 million jobs. The LWCF Coalition thanks Senators Collins and Udall for their steadfast conservation leadership, and we urge all Senators to support the Collins and Udall amendment."
The bipartisan amendment is cosponsored by Senators Richard Burr (R-NC), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Lindsey Graham (R-SC), Ron Wyden (D-OR), Lamar Alexander (R-TN), John Walsh (D-MT), Rob Portman (R-OH), Patrick Leahy (D-VT), and Martin Heinrich (D-NM), and Kelly Ayotte (R-NH).
Below is the full text of the amendment:
SENSE OF THE SENATE ON THE LAND AND WATER CONSERVATION FUND
(a) Findings.—The Senate finds the following:
(1) The year 2014 marks the 50th anniversary of the establishment of the Land and Water Conservation Fund under section 2 of the Land and Water Conservation Act of 1965 (16 U.S.C. 460l–5) (referred to in this subsection as the “Fund”), the most successful and enduring conservation and outdoor recreation program of the United States.
(2) The Fund will expire in 2015 unless Congress takes action to renew this important program.
(3) The Fund has protected outdoor recreation sites in every State and nearly every county in the United States by ensuring access to hunting and fishing areas, protecting the most historic sites of the United States, supporting working forests and ranches, creating national scenic and historic trails, and conserving critical habitats.
(4) The Land and Water Conservation Fund Act of 1965 (16 U.S.C. 460l–4 et seq.) has a 50-year history of bipartisan support as, with the overwhelming support of Congress—
(A) support for the Act began during the Eisenhower Administration;
(B) the Act was proposed to Congress by President Kennedy; and
(C) the Act was signed into law by President Johnson.
(5) The Land and Water Conservation Fund Act of 1965 (16 U.S.C. 460l–4 et seq.) is fully funded, without relying on tax dollars, through the annual collection of $900,000,000 by the Treasury of the United States from a small percentage of royalties from offshore drilling and other Federal energy revenue sources.
(6) The Fund honors the principles of fiscal conservatism by reinvesting revenues from the sale of 1 national resource to protect other natural resources and ensure outdoor recreation for all people of the United States.
(7) Over the 50-year history of the Fund, more than half the amount credited to the Fund account has been diverted for other purposes.
(8) Continued investments in the Fund will stimulate the economy of the United States, create jobs, and strengthen infrastructure.
(9) Outdoor recreation and conservation activities are important economic contributors and support jobs in communities across the United States.
(10) The Fund drives local economies by growing recreational land to match increases in population and development pressure while also creating and protecting jobs in working forests and on working farms and ranches.
(b) Sense of the Senate.—It is the sense of the Senate that—
(1) the Land and Water Conservation Fund Act of 1965 (16 U.S.C. 460l–4 et seq.) should be reauthorized; and
(2) full, permanent, and dedicated funding for the Land and Water Conservation Fund would keep the promise that was made to the people of the United States in 1964 to invest a small portion of the proceeds from natural resource development in conservation and outdoor recreation.
