Below is a letter from nearly five dozen organizations forwarded to both House and Senate leadership, urging passage of legislation that boosts conservation, hunting and public access. Hunt 2 Conserve is also in support.
The undersigned organizations, representing millions of hunters, anglers, conservationists, and fish and wildlife professionals, write to express our strong support for the bipartisan and bicameral America the Beautiful Act (S.1547) to reauthorize the Legacy Restoration Fund (LRF).
We also thank you for your bipartisan leadership in championing this bill through introduction and a unanimous committee vote.
The Great American Outdoors Act (GAOA), which first authorized LRF, stands among the most significant conservation achievements in recent history. By establishing the LRF, Congress made an historic investment in addressing the deferred maintenance backlog across our national parks, national forests, wildlife refuges, Bureau of Land Management lands, and Bureau of Indian Education facilities. These investments have improved roads, trails, campgrounds, boat ramps, fishing access sites, visitor facilities, and other critical infrastructure relied upon by millions of Americans who hunt, fish, hike, camp, and enjoy the outdoors.
For sportsmen and women, these investments are about far more than infrastructure—they are about access. Across the country, hunters and anglers depend on safe roads, maintained trails, functioning boat launches, campgrounds, parking areas, and other recreational facilities to reach public lands and waters. Deferred maintenance can limit access to hunting areas, reduce opportunities for anglers, and diminish the quality of outdoor experiences that support America’s longstanding outdoor traditions. The Legacy Restoration Fund has helped ensure that public lands remain accessible, welcoming, and functional for the millions of Americans who pursue hunting, fishing, recreational shooting, and other outdoor activities.
As our nation approaches its 250th anniversary, the work is not finished. Significant deferred maintenance needs remain across federal public lands, including many of the forests, refuges, parks, and public lands most frequently used by sportsmen and women. This historic legislation would build on the success of the original GAOA legislation by extending and strengthening the Legacy Restoration Fund and by preserving permanent funding for the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) without changes—thus, this bill continues to ensure that critical infrastructure improvements and recreational access continue and that America's public lands are prepared to welcome future generations of hunters, anglers, outdoor recreationists, and conservationists.
Together, this bill represents a commonsense and bipartisan commitment to conserving America's outdoor heritage. By investing in access, infrastructure, and stewardship, these bills will help ensure that future generations can continue to enjoy the traditions of hunting, fishing, and outdoor recreation that are central to America's conservation legacy.
We commend the bipartisan leadership behind these measures and respectfully urge you to pass the America the Beautiful Act (S.1547/H.R. 9250) as expeditiously as possible.
Thank you for your consideration of this request and for your continued commitment to America's public lands, outdoor recreation opportunities, and conservation legacy.
Sincerely,
American Catfishing Association
American Fisheries Society
American Sportfishing Association
American Woodcock Society
Archery Trade Association
Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies
Backcountry Hunters & Anglers
Bass Anglers Sportsman Society (B.A.S.S.)
BoatU.S.
Bonefish & Tarpon Trust
Boone and Crockett Club
California Waterfowl Association
Catch A Dream Foundation
Coastal Conservation Association
Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation
Conservation Force
Council to Advance Hunting and the Shooting Sports
Dallas Safari Club
Delta Waterfowl
Ducks Unlimited
Houston Safari Club
International Game Fish Association
Izaak Walton League of America
Major League Fishing
Marine Retailers Association of the Americas
Masters of Foxhounds Association
Mule Deer Foundation
National Association of Forest Service Retirees
National Deer Association
National Marine Manufacturers Association
National Professional Anglers Association
National Rifle Association
National Shooting Sports Foundation
National Trappers Association
National Wild Turkey Federation
National Wildlife Federation
National Wildlife Refuge Association
North American Falconers Association
North American Grouse Partnership
Orion: The Hunter’s Institute
Pheasants Forever
Professional Outfitters and Guides of America
Public Lands Foundation
Quail Forever
Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation
Ruffed Grouse Society
Safari Club International
Sportsmen’s Alliance
The Conservation Fund
The Wildlife Society
Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership
Trout Unlimited
Whitetails Unlimited
Wild Sheep Foundation
Wildlife Forever
Wildlife Management Institute
About Hunt 2 Conserve
Hunt 2 Conserve is a 501(c)4 nonprofit organization affiliated with the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation. Its mission is to advance a legacy of hunting and conservation by educating, activating and developing stewards and defenders of these fundamentally American ideals. For more information, go to hunt2conserve.org.
