Congressman McCaul supports the Great American Outdoors Act

I gave the following remarks after voting in support of the Great American Outdoors Act, which passed both the House and Senate and was signed by the President. 

U.S. National Parks provide a habitat for America’s diverse wildlife and expansive forests. The Great American Outdoors Act will ensure the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) is permanently funded to help maintain our great parks. In the state of Texas, such funding would also help preserve recreational areas used for hunting, fishing and outdoor activities, and allow visitors to enjoy the vast landscape of our beautiful state. I am proud to support H.R. 7092 so that future generations may enjoy all the American outdoors has to offer.

Outdoor recreation contributes more than $50 billion annually to the Texas economy and supports 411,000 jobs in the state. Parks that Texans have enjoyed for decades include: Big Thicket National Preserve, San Antonio Missions National Historic Park, Padre Islands National Seashore and Balcones Canyonlands, and Lower Rio Grande national wildlife refuges. In addition, recreational hunting and fishing contributes just over $9 billion to the state’s economy.