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K2 1938: The First American Karakoram Expedition

Great American Outdoors Act

Great American Outdoors Act Passes in the Senate!

Today, the Senate took its final vote on the Great American Outdoors Act and passed the bill 73 to 25. The outdoor community has been instrumental in getting the bill passed and should celebrate this victory! The AAC is extremely grateful to everyone who took action to support the Great American Outdoors Act.

“Fair and equitable access to community parks, green spaces, and public lands should be afforded to all, and those outdoor spaces need to be well resourced and protected. The GAOA is a big step in the right direction for public land conservation.” Taylor Luneau, AAC Policy Manager

The Great American Outdoors Act means billions of dollars in funding for trails, parks, and public lands and waters across the country. It includes permanent funding for the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) and funding for the maintenance backlog on National Parks, National Forest, and other public lands. In total, the bill means as much as $2.8 billion a year will be made available to spend on public lands, outdoor recreation, maintenance and restoration, and new green spaces.

ask your representatives in the house to support the gaoa today with the tool below

While this is a big win, our work is not done. The bill will now travel to the House, where lawmakers need to pass an identical version before it goes on to the President’s desk for approval.

Please send a message to your Representatives to vote YES.

It is also important to hold our lawmakers accountable.
The following Senators voted “NO” on this historic public lands package:

Kennedy (R-LA)
Lankford (R-OK)
Lee (R-UT)
Moran (R-KS)
Paul (R-KY)
Risch (R-ID)
Romney (R-UT)
Rounds (R-SD)
Sasse (R-NE)
Scott (R-FL)
Shelby (R-AL)
Toomey (R-PA)

Barrasso (R-WY)
Blackburn (R-TN)
Braun (R-IN)
Cassidy (R-LA)
Cornyn (R-TX)
Crapo (R-ID)
Cruz (R-TX)
Enzi (R-WY)
Fischer (R-NE)
Hawley (R-MO)
Hyde-Smith (R-MS)
Inhofe (R-OK)
Johnson (R-WI)

Use the tool below to send a quick thank you note to your Senators if they voted yes (it will automatically update to express disappointment if they voted no)

Climbers Act: Support the Great American Outdoors Act Today!

What is the Great American Outdoors Act?

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Remember this past spring when President Trump tweeted in support of a conservation based bill and that Bill made the headlines? That Bill, The Great American Outdoors Act (S. 3422) is back and hitting the senate floor next week. Below we provide a few important facts about what this historic, bi-partisan public lands bill includes, followed by an opportunity to ACT Now!

If the COVID-19 crisis has taught climbers, public lands employees, and local governments anything, it’s that now, more than ever, millions of Americans are looking for opportunities to get outside. For many, the outdoors offer an escape from their daily lives, and deem their recreation time as critical to supporting mental and physical health.

Additionally, as National Parks begin their phased reopening, and local governments consider it safe to once again seek-out outdoor recreation pursuits, it’s important to remember that public lands serve as a major economic stimulus for the country. As we collectively recover from the economic downturn caused by the outbreak of COVID-19, the GAOA has the potential to assist us by providing opportunities for new jobs and diversified streams of income, by addressing the need for recreation resource development and infrastructure repairs.

Click this image to write your representatives!

Click this image to write your representatives!

While this bill has garnered bi-partisan support in the Senate, it’s still not guaranteed to become law. After its Senate vote, the bill will travel to the House floor for a vote. We need climbers to come together and raise their voices in support of the Great American Outdoors Act. Tell your Senators to vote YES for this Bill, and follow up with your representatives in the House to support the legislation. Will you act with us today?