Western Montana Congressman Ryan Zinke joined House Natural Resources Committee Chairman Bruce Westerman (R-Ark.) and Ranking Member Jared Huffman (D-Calif.) in introducing the Great American Outdoors Act 250, legislation designed to reauthorize and modernize one of President Trump’s signature conservation achievements ahead of the nation’s 250th anniversary.
Zinke, a former Secretary of the Interior and key architect of the original Great American Outdoors Act, helped lead the effort to extend the landmark law, which Trump signed in 2020. The new legislation would invest $1.9 billion over five years to address deferred maintenance across America’s national parks and public lands while creating jobs, improving recreational access and supporting rural gateway communities.
“The Great American Outdoors Act was one of the crowning achievements of President Trump’s first administration and proved that conservation and economic growth can go hand in hand,” Zinke said. “GAOA 250 builds on that proven success and ensures these investments continue as America celebrates its 250th birthday.”
Since its enactment, the original law funded thousands of infrastructure projects across the National Park Service, U.S. Forest Service, Bureau of Land Management, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and Bureau of Indian Education, repairing roads, bridges, campgrounds, trails, visitor centers and water systems while supporting local jobs and rural economies.
In Montana alone, the original GAOA delivered more than $100 million in public land infrastructure investments, including projects at Glacier and Yellowstone National Parks spanning road rehabilitation, water system upgrades, trail improvements, campground modernization and historic preservation.
GAOA 250 would fund its $1.9 billion investment through foreign visitor fees, private donations and onshore energy revenues. The bill is projected to support an estimated 72,500 jobs nationwide and generate $26.4 billion in economic activity for rural gateway communities, while strengthening America’s $1.3 trillion outdoor recreation economy.
Among its key provisions, the legislation would restore campgrounds, trails, boat ramps and hunting and fishing access sites; establish a new America’s Legacy Restoration Fund to continue reducing deferred maintenance backlogs; expand public-private partnership opportunities; and codify President Trump’s foreign visitor fee policy to generate new revenue for maintenance projects.
The bill was referred to the House Natural Resources Committee.