©2025 League of Conservation Voters
Issues
During consideration of the Great American Outdoors Act (GAOA), Senator Mike Enzi (R-WY) raised a “budget point of order” to this legislation, which was a procedural tactic that, if successful, would have killed the bill and denied funding for critical conservation investments contained in the underlying legislation. GAOA provides full and permanent funding of $900 million annually for the Land and Water Conservation Fund and funding to address the deferred maintenance backlog in our national parks and other public lands. By investing in our public lands and waters, GAOA will protect our nation’s natural heritage and invaluable landscapes, enhance access to the outdoors and green spaces for communities nationwide, and provide much-needed repairs to deteriorating infrastructure in our national parks. With guaranteed funding into the future, GAOA honors existing federal commitments to conserve and maintain these irreplaceable public treasures. On June 15, the Senate approved a motion waiving the budget point of order on H.R. 1957, the vehicle for GAOA, by a vote of 68-30 (Senate roll call vote 118). YES IS THE PRO-ENVIRONMENT VOTE. The Senate approved H.R. 1957 on June 17, the House approved it on July 22, and the president signed this legislation into law on August 4.
©2025 League of Conservation Voters