Explanation of H.R. 7092

Bill Summary: H.R. 7092

H.R. 7092, also known as the Great American Outdoors Act, is a bill that aims to address the maintenance backlog of various government agencies and provide permanent funding for conservation efforts. This bill proposes several amendments to title 54 of the United States Code.

Details of the Bill

The bill establishes a National Parks and Public Land Legacy Restoration Fund to tackle the maintenance backlog of the National Park Service, the United States Fish and Wildlife Service, the Bureau of Land Management, the Forest Service, and the Bureau of Indian Education. It also provides permanent funding for the Land and Water Conservation Fund. The bill was introduced by Mr. Cunningham, Mr. Fitzpatrick, Ms. Sherrill, Mr. Simpson, Mr. Cox of California, Mr. Katko, Ms. Torres Small of New Mexico, Mr. Zeldin, Ms. Kendra S. Horn of Oklahoma, Mr. Stivers, Mr. Golden, and Mr. Fortenberry.

Key Provisions of the Bill

The bill includes the following key provisions:

Establishment of a National Parks and Public Land Legacy Restoration Fund.
Definitions related to assets, covered agencies, and the Fund.
Allocation of funds to different covered agencies.
Limitations on the use of funds.
Submission of priority lists and annual reports to Congress.
Provision for alternate allocation of funds.
Requirement for considering accessibility when spending funds.
Acceptance of public donations to support conservation efforts.

Permanent Funding for the Land and Water Conservation Fund

Additionally, the bill provides permanent full funding for the Land and Water Conservation Fund. This means that any amounts deposited in the Fund for fiscal year 2020 and subsequent years will be made available for expenditure without further appropriation or fiscal year limitation. The President will submit detailed account, program, and project allocations of the full amount made available each year to Congress.

Next Steps for the Bill

The bill has been referred to the Committee on Natural Resources, as well as the Committees on Agriculture and the Budget. It will go through a period of consideration by these committees to determine which provisions fall within their jurisdiction. If the bill passes these committees, it will proceed to further steps in the legislative process before potentially becoming law.

Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi

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