Congress Completes Funding for Agencies Through Fiscal 2019; Senate and House Reauthorize the Land and Water Conservation Fund and Pass National Trails Route Adjustments (2/27/2019)
On February 12th (Charles Darwin’s and Abraham Lincoln’s birthdays), the United States Senate passed S. 47 – Natural Resources Management Act – by the hugely bipartisan vote of 92-8. This Omnibus Public Lands Bill includes permanent reauthorization of the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) and authorization of the North Country National Scenic Trail Route Adjustment Act and the Eastern Legacy Extension of the Lewis & Clark National Historic Trail, among many provisions.
On February 26th, the United States House of Representatives also passed S. 47 by an equally huge bipartisan vote of 363-62. The House also added the title John D. Dingell, Jr. Conservation, Management and Recreation Act to the act in honor of the Michigan Congressman, longest serving member of the House, who recently died.
To avoid another partial government shutdown Congress also completed the Omnibus Fiscal Year 2019 Appropriations Bill a day before the funding for the agencies involved would run out. The Interior Department agencies, the U.S. Forest Service and a number of other Federal agencies are now funded to work until September 30, 2019 — the end of the Federal fiscal year.
Please contact your Senators and Representatives to thank them for passing S. 47 permanently reauthorizing the Land & Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) and authorizing the North Country and Lewis & Clark Trails route adjustments and extensions. The bill was signed into law on March 12th