WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Kevin Cramer (R-ND), Chairman of the Senate Environment and Public Works (EPW) Subcommittee on Fisheries, Water, and Wildlife, issued the following statement on President Donald J. Trump signing the Great American Outdoors Act into law today:
“President Trump signed historic legislation to invest in our national parks and public lands. Places like Theodore Roosevelt National Park provide the American people with an irreplaceable experience, and I am thankful we have a president who prioritizes the preservation of these national treasures. I look forward to working with the Administration on implementing this bill.”
Senator Cramer cosponsored this legislation in March, and the Senate passed it in June. North Dakotans, conservation leaders, former Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke, and current Interior Secretary David Bernhardt all expressed their appreciation for Senator Cramer’s support for this bill.
"North Dakota is where Teddy Roosevelt began American Conservation. Senator Cramer best emulates that legacy,” said former Secretary Zinke. “He’s fought to keep our public lands accessible for the benefit and enjoyment of all Americans."
“I appreciate Senator Cramer for his work to support this historic legislation,” said Secretary Bernhardt. “President Trump took bold action and provided unprecedented support for Congress to fix the aging infrastructure at our national parks and to simultaneously and permanently fund conservation projects.”
The Great American Outdoors Act is a bipartisan bill led by Senators Cory Gardner (R-CO) and Steve Daines (R-MT). It 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. It 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), which Senator Cramer has direct oversight of as Chairman of the EPW Subcommittee. Learn more here.
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.
