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WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Kevin Cramer (R-ND), a Senate Environment and Public Works (EPW) Committee member, announced today he is cosponsoring S. 3422, the Great American Outdoors Act. Introduced by Colorado Senator Cory Gardner and endorsed by President Trump, this bipartisan bill includes the Restore Our Parks Act, which addresses the maintenance backlog across the National Parks Service including at Theodore Roosevelt National Park in Medora, North Dakota.
“The Great American Outdoors Act provides much-needed help for our public lands infrastructure,” said Senator Cramer. “Its passage would mean significant, necessary improvements at Theodore Roosevelt National Park, public lands, and Native American schools across North Dakota. I hope momentum for this legislation continues and we put this bill on President Trump’s desk as soon as we can.”
In addition to the $1.3 billion per year over five years found in the Restore Our Parks Act, the Great American Outdoors Act also provides relief for the maintenance backlog at other federal agencies like the Bureau of Indian Education, Forest Service, Bureau of Land Management, and Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS). As Chairman of the EPW Subcommittee on Fisheries, Water, and Wildlife, Senator Cramer has direct oversight of FWS.
Senator Cramer helped introduce the Restore Our Parks Act in February of 2019 and cosponsored the bill when he served in the House of Representatives. In October, Senator Cramer hosted Interior Secretary David Bernhardt’s trip to North Dakota, where they visited Theodore Roosevelt National Park to examine deferred maintenance and voiced support for passing this legislation.
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