Political Quotes

“Madam Speaker, I rise today to urge my colleagues to support H.R. 3113, the Modernizing Access to Our Public Land Act, or MAPLand Act. Access to America's lands is critical. Driven in part by the COVID-19 pandemic, we are seeing more people hunt, fish, hike, and bike than ever before. Recreating on these lands creates fond memories, improves the physical and mental health of Americans, and contributes significantly to our economy. Each year, outdoor recreation across the country injects $887 billion into our economy. These dollars support communities in Utah and nationwide, contribute to high-paying jobs, and connect us through our shared hobbies and interests. There are roughly 640 million acres of land in the Federal estate. Of these, more than 9 million acres in the Western United States have no permanent legal means of access. Land users understand firsthand the shortage of information that exists on which lands are opened, how they can be accessed, and more. In fact, tens of thousands of important land access files are currently outdated or only in paper form, filling up cabinets in office building basements. This just simply isn't good enough for the 21st century. This lack of access to crucial information prevents us from enjoying all that our lands have to offer, and it makes it more difficult for the hardworking employees at our land management agencies to do their jobs. It is time to fix these problems by modernizing the data behind our Federal lands. My bill, H.R.…”