U.S. Rep. Patrick Meehan (R-PA) wants to see existing legislation to reauthorize the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) advance, rather than a new draft measure that he says undercuts the LWCF’s conservation efforts.
“A group of 196 bipartisan House members supports existing legislation
to extend this invaluable conservation program, a program that spends
not one nickel of taxpayer dollars, yet the bill cannot get a vote in
committee,” Meehan said. “I hope that can change.”
Meehan took issue with draft legislation recently issued by the House Natural Resources Committee.
“The draft is a radical departure for the LWCF, America’s most successful conservation program,” Meehan said. “It diverts money away from conservation, throws up roadblocks to preservation and sets top-down, arbitrary funding formulas.”
If the draft legislation is advanced to the full House for debate, Meehan is counting on the legislative process to properly run its course.
“Those who support maintaining the LWCF core conservation mission deserve to have their voices heard on the floor of the people’s House,” Meehan said.
Bipartisan
Senate legislation to reauthorize the fund passed the
Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee this summer by an 18-4
vote, Meehan noted.