Mike Thompson: “I thank the chairman for yielding. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of this historic legislation that I was…”

“I thank the chairman for yielding. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of this historic legislation that I was proud to coauthor. It has been more than 55 years since the Land and Water Conservation Fund was enacted to establish recreation and conservation opportunities. Now is the time to ensure that LWCF is fully and permanently funded. This bill will create jobs and boost local economies that are currently facing significant financial hardships due to the COVID-19 pandemic. It also provides urgent funding of $9.5 billion to fix broken park infrastructure and failing facilities. The bill supports parks in every State so hikers and anglers alike can visit and enjoy nature across our beautiful country. This is desperately needed now for our communities' emotional and physical well-being. Mr. Speaker, we need to protect and preserve our lands, and this bill does that at no expense to our taxpayers. I urge my colleagues to vote for this important legislation.”