Celia Israel: “This amendment nullifies the terms of the Land and Water Conservation Fund contracts that are more than 20 years old.…”

“This amendment nullifies the terms of the Land and Water Conservation Fund contracts that are more than 20 years old. When States, counties, and other municipal governments receive funds from the LWCF State assistance grant program, they do so with the understanding that the land acquired with these funds will be used for public recreation purposes in perpetuity. If they no longer need the land for this purpose, there is an established administrative process that allows for a simple conversion. Since LWCF's establishment over 50 years ago, this conversion process has been successfully executed thousands of times. Under this amendment, however, any parcel acquired more than 20 years ago could be converted to private use or even sold on the open market without any compensation to the American taxpayer. This is a misguided outcome, Mr. Chairman. Our constituents deserve a fair return on their investment, and we shouldn't allow one town's unwillingness to play by the rules to upend 50 years of success. I urge my colleagues to defend the integrity of the LWCF and reject this amendment. I yield to the gentleman from Idaho (Mr. Simpson).”