Why This Matters

The Great American Outdoors Act 250 Is Still Being Written

The House Natural Resources Committee is heading to Hot Springs, Arkansas on June 12 for a legislative field hearing on a discussion draft of the Great American Outdoors Act 250 — and the window to shape this bill is open right now.

The hearing, scheduled for 10:00 AM local time at 239 Central Ave. in Hot Springs, is a pre-markup opportunity. The bill is still in discussion draft form. That means the text is live, stakeholder input matters, and organizations that wait will find themselves on the outside of a process that is already moving.

The "250" in the bill's title almost certainly references the U.S. Semiquincentennial — America's 250th anniversary of independence in 2026. The legislative lineage points directly to the original Great American Outdoors Act (P.L. 116-152), signed into law in August 2020. That law permanently funded the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) at $900 million annually from offshore energy revenues and directed up to $9.5 billion over five years to address the National Park Service's deferred maintenance backlog.

A successor bill framed around the Semiquincentennial creates both a political opportunity and a deadline. The July 4, 2026 anniversary provides a natural forcing function for committee action. Lobbyists should be planning for a potential markup as early as late summer 2026.

The field hearing format — held outside Washington in the home state of Committee Chair Bruce Westerman (R-AR) — signals that the Chair has a personal investment in this legislation and is seeking local stakeholder validation before advancing the draft. Hot Springs is home to Hot Springs National Park, the oldest federally protected area in U.S. history.

Key Takeaways

  • The bill is in discussion draft form. This is the optimal window for stakeholder engagement. Lobbyists representing outdoor recreation, conservation, tourism, natural resources extraction, and state and local governments should be contacting committee staff now, before the text is locked.
  • No witnesses have been confirmed. As of June 7, 2026, no witnesses or witness organizations appear in the hearing record. The witness selection process may still be underway. Organizations seeking to place a witness or submit written testimony for the record should contact committee staff immediately.
  • Chair Westerman is the central figure. The hearing is in his home state, and his office is the primary point of contact for shaping bill language. His engagement signals the bill's viability. The question for the lobbying community is whether his framing of the bill can hold together a Republican majority while attracting Democratic votes.
  • Bipartisan potential exists but is not guaranteed. The original GAOA passed 310-107 in the House and 73-25 in the Senate. A successor bill carries that brand recognition. However, the current fiscal environment and ongoing debates over federal land management could complicate consensus.
  • The Semiquincentennial creates a time-sensitive legislative window. Organizations that are not engaged before the June 12 hearing risk being shut out of the drafting process ahead of any markup.

Funding & Appropriations Watch

No specific dollar figures or appropriations language are available from the discussion draft at this stage. However, based on the bill's lineage, several funding questions are likely to be central to the hearing:

The original GAOA permanently funded the LWCF at $900 million annually. A successor bill may seek to increase that ceiling, expand eligible uses, or alter the federal-to-state allocation formula. The state-side LWCF grant program, which funds local parks and recreation infrastructure, is a perennial lobbying target for state governments and municipal associations.

On deferred maintenance, the original GAOA directed up to $1.9 billion per year for five years to address a backlog estimated at more than $22 billion across the National Park Service and other federal land agencies. That five-year authorization has expired. A new bill may extend or make permanent that funding stream — a significant contracting opportunity for construction and engineering firms, and a priority for gateway tourism communities that depend on functional park infrastructure.

The LWCF's funding mechanism — offshore oil and gas royalties — also means the energy industry has a direct stake in any changes to how those revenues are directed. Any expansion of LWCF spending is effectively a reallocation of energy revenue, and extractive industry clients should be tracking the draft's revenue provisions closely.

Regulatory & Legislative Signals

The primary legislative vehicle is the discussion draft itself. No other bills are formally cross-referenced in the hearing record. Lobbyists should review the draft directly for specific provisions on LWCF apportionment formulas, deferred maintenance eligibility, and any new land acquisition authorities.

The Republican majority on the committee, combined with the current administration's posture on federal land management, suggests that provisions tying conservation funding to expanded access, resource extraction, or state and local control could emerge as conditions for Republican support. Members including Harriet Hageman (R-WY), Russ Fulcher (R-ID), Tom Tiffany (R-WI), Lauren Boebert (R-CO), Cliff Bentz (R-OR), and Doug LaMalfa (R-CA) have track records on federal lands and states' rights issues that make them potential friction points for any bill that expands federal land acquisition without corresponding access provisions.

On the Democratic side, Ranking Member Jared Huffman (D-CA) will be the key voice. His level of engagement and any expressions of bipartisan support will be a leading indicator of the bill's floor prospects. Joe Neguse (D-CO) is a likely Democratic champion. Jared Golden (D-ME) is a potential crossover vote given his state's outdoor recreation economy.

Member Dynamics

Committee leadership for this hearing: Chair Bruce Westerman (R-AR), Vice Chair Rob Wittman (R-VA), Ranking Member Jared Huffman (D-CA), and Vice Ranking Member Sarah Elfreth (D-MD).

Westerman's decision to hold the field hearing in his home district is the clearest signal available that he intends to move this bill. His framing will set the tone for Republican buy-in across a committee that includes members with sharply different views on federal land management.

Lobbying Landscape

The sectors with the most direct stakes in this outdoor conservation bill include outdoor recreation, tourism and hospitality, hunting and fishing groups, conservation organizations, state and local governments, construction and engineering, offshore energy, timber and mining, land trusts, and tribal nations. Each has a distinct interest in how the LWCF allocation formula, deferred maintenance eligibility, and any new access or permitting provisions are structured.

No lobbying disclosure data is currently associated with this hearing in the public record. That gap underscores the pre-legislative nature of this process — and the opportunity it represents for organizations that engage now.

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