ORR Applauds Bipartisan House Public Lands Caucus – RVBusiness – Breaking RV Industry News
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Outdoor Recreation Roundtable (ORR), the nation’s leading coalition of outdoor recreation trade associations representing the $1.2 trillion outdoor recreation economy, applauds the formation of the newly established bipartisan Public Lands Caucus in the U.S. House of Representatives.
U.S. Representatives Gabe Vasquez (D-NM-02) and Ryan Zinke (R-MT-01) and a bipartisan group of lawmakers announced the launch of the Caucus on Wednesday (May 7) at a press conference in front of the U.S. Capitol with a mission to protect public lands, expand access, and promote economic and recreational opportunities, according to an ORR release.
“The creation of the Public Lands Caucus is a significant and welcome step forward in protecting and expanding access to our public lands and waters that power America’s $1.2 trillion outdoor recreation economy and enrich the lives of millions of Americans. Keeping public lands public is a business imperative. There couldn’t be a more important time to stand up for America’s best return on investment and keep public land selloff out of reconciliation,” Whitney Potter Schwartz, Senior Vice President, Outdoor Recreation Roundtable. “ORR thanks Representatives Gabe Vasquez and Ryan Zinke for their leadership and all the bipartisan members of the Caucus who have come together to champion public lands access, stewardship, and infrastructure investments. We look forward to working with the Caucus to ensure that public lands remain public and continue to be a foundation for outdoor experiences, local economies, and healthy communities for generations to come.”
Public lands are central to the outdoor recreation economy, supporting over 5 million American jobs and drawing people from all backgrounds to boat, camp, ride, hunt, fish, hike, paddle, and more. With visitation increasing across federal, state, and local public lands and water, maintaining access and improving infrastructure is more important than ever.
ORR will work closely with the Public Land Caucus to elevate outdoor recreation and advance policies that support rural economic development, improve access, fund infrastructure, and safeguard America’s natural heritage. ORR also is deeply committed to ensuring that public lands remain public—and accessible—for all.
“Public lands are where I learned to fish, hunt, and connect with my family and culture—and those experiences shaped who I am,” said Rep. Gabe Vasquez (D-NM-02). “These lands don’t belong to one party or one group of people; they belong to all of us. The Public Lands Caucus is about protecting that birthright—bringing Democrats and Republicans together to preserve access, defend conservation, and invest in the outdoor economy that powers rural communities like mine in southern New Mexico. This is personal for me, and I’m proud to lead this bipartisan effort to keep our public lands in public hands.”
