Congress is hopeful that the popularity of U.S. national parks and other public lands can translate into bipartisan support for a deferred maintenance fund whose reauthorization expired last year.
The Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee on Wednesday approved a bill to reauthorize a fund providing $1.9 billion annually over the next five fiscal years to address deferred maintenance and repairs on public lands.
The measure was approved by voice vote, with members heralding it as a bright spot for bipartisanship. The bill’s sponsor, Sen. Steve Daines, R-Mont., said he hoped to get it to President Donald Trump’s desk by July 4.
Before approving the bill, the committee adopted an amendment that Daines said incorporated priorities from fellow senators as well as the Trump administration and the House. The amendment brought the funding level in line with a House bill introduced June 10 by Natural Resources Chairman Bruce Westerman, R-Ark., and ranking member Jared Huffman, D-Calif.
“This amendment and the bill we’re sending to the full Senate represents a bipartisan and bicameral collaborative output,” Daines said.
