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Conservatives have long understood that conservation is not about locking away America’s natural treasures, but stewarding them through responsible use so future generations can enjoy the same public lands that earlier generations worked hard to secure.
Just six years ago, President Donald Trump paid tribute to that legacy when he signed the original “Great American Outdoors Act” into law. That bill established the National Parks and Public Land Legacy Restoration Fund (LRF), which budgeted for countless infrastructure projects within our most precious landscapes. But that program expired last year, threatening the future of America’s natural inheritance.
As our country celebrates its 250th birthday, Congress should reauthorize the LRF, one of the most successful conservation achievements of Trump’s first term, by passing the Great American Outdoors Act 250 (GAOA 250). At a time when Americans are visiting their national parks in record numbers and the deferred maintenance backlog has grown to more than $40 billion, renewing the fund is an essential component of responsible stewardship.
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Setting an important precedent, President Theodore Roosevelt was vocal about this kind of stewardship of public lands and conserving what he called America’s “glorious heritage.” His legacy, including the dramatic expansion of national parks and creation of dozens of monuments and wildlife refuges, shines as a guiding example of conservative tradition.
Theodore Roosevelt National Park, left; Theodore Roosevelt, right. (Hulton Archive/Getty Images; Bernard Friel/Getty Images)
The future of that tradition stands at a crossroads.
A failing sewage system at Yellowstone or Yosemite threatens wildlife and ranchers alike. Washed-out trails in the Sierras mean fewer opportunities to connect with family in the great outdoors. And lack of maintenance leaves our beloved forests vulnerable to devastating wildfires. Ensuring these issues are handled is the basic tenets of caring for America’s greatest natural treasures.
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In late June, the House Natural Resources Committee advanced the GAOA 250 under the leadership of Republican Chairman Bruce Westerman, who hails from “The Natural State” of Arkansas. GAOA 250 reauthorizes the LRF at $1.9 billion annually for another five years while prioritizing mission-critical infrastructure and requiring a public dashboard so taxpayers can track every project. The legislation also includes a much overdue, and overlooked, provision.
International visitors enjoy the same park experiences as their American counterparts, yet they do not contribute to the tax revenues to sustain them. American citizens subsidize the international visitor fee gap when they both pay their federal taxes and pay the entrance fees. The foreign visitor surcharge, originally introduced in West Virginia Republican Rep. Riley Moore’s and Indiana Republican Sen. Jim Banks’s PATRIOT Parks legislation, now a component of GAOA 250, would correct this imbalance.
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From Ecuador to New Zealand, countries across the world charge international visitors a premium to access their treasured lands. In that spirit, President Trump ordered a foreign visitor fee through executive action. But the next administration could easily rescind that order, making permanent legislation vital. The GAOA 250 foreign visitor surcharge would return 80% of the proceeds directly to the parks from which they were collected — proceeds to help clear trails, repair facilities and ensure fire prevention maintenance.
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Two hundred fifty years ago, the Founders staked everything to secure this land for posterity. The rivers and the valleys, the mountains and the deserts they died for, are now in our keeping. We must care for them with the same sense of duty born in 1776.
President Theodore Roosevelt famously said, “Here is your country. Cherish these natural wonders, cherish the natural resources, cherish the history and romance as a sacred heritage, for your children and your children’s children.” Passing the Great American Outdoors Act 250 is a fitting birthday gift to our great nation and a promise that the profound treasures of the first 250 years will stand for the 250 to come.
Chris Barnard is the president of the American Conservation Coalition Action (ACC Action).
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