House approves bipartisan outdoor recreation package

The House on Tuesday approved a package aimed at boosting the nation’s access to outdoor recreation. 

The bipartisan EXPLORE Act contains provisions that seek to open up more opportunities for spending time in national parks, forests and other public lands. 

The legislation passed by a voice vote. 

If the Senate takes up the legislation, it’s expected to have a good chance of passing. 

This is not the first time bipartisan lawmakers have advanced a public lands package in an election year. In 2020, President Trump signed a bipartisan bill allocating billions of dollars for addressing a maintenance backlog in national parks and codifying other conservation spending. 

The EXPLORE Act includes a wide range of provisions, including some intended to make it easier to get permits for activities on public lands and develop more biking trails. 

The bill would also seek to codify a fund called the Outdoor Recreation Legacy Partnership Program, which opens up outdoor opportunities in urban and low-income communities, as well as a federal council that coordinates recreation across several federal agencies.

The bill is also intended to expand access for groups including veterans and disabled Americans. It sets up a strategy to coordinate veteran visits and a pilot program for employing them in federal conservation jobs. It also seeks to develop new trails that are accessible for disabled people and increase information availability about what is already accessible.