Congress Advances America the Beautiful Act
Congress continues to make bipartisan progress on legislation to reauthorize one of the most significant investments in America's public lands in recent history.
Both the House and Senate have advanced the America the Beautiful Act, legislation that would extend the National Parks and Public Land Legacy Restoration Fund through Fiscal Year 2031. The proposal would continue funding critical deferred maintenance projects across federal public lands managed by the National Park Service, Bureau of Land Management, U.S. Forest Service, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and Bureau of Indian Education.
The legislation builds upon the Great American Outdoors Act, which was signed into law in 2020. At the time, SEMA highlighted the importance of the legislation to the automotive aftermarket and outdoor recreation industries, recognizing that maintaining roads, campgrounds, visitor facilities, trails, bridges, and other recreation infrastructure is essential to preserving access to America's public lands. ORBA encourages members interested in the history of the legislation to read SEMA's original coverage of the Great American Outdoors Act on SEMA News.
The current proposal would reauthorize the Legacy Restoration Fund through Fiscal Year 2031 and continue investing approximately $1.9 billion annually in deferred maintenance projects while refining project selection and implementation. The legislation is intended to address aging infrastructure across federal land management agencies while improving how projects are prioritized and delivered.
For the off-road community, infrastructure investments are an important part of maintaining access to public lands. Roads, trailheads, staging areas, campgrounds, bridges, parking areas, and visitor facilities all contribute to safe, sustainable recreation opportunities while supporting the rural communities and small businesses that rely on outdoor recreation.
As an active participant in the Outdoor Recreation Roundtable (ORR), ORBA, alongside SEMA, signed onto ORR's coalition letter supporting reauthorization of the America the Beautiful Act. Working alongside a broad coalition of outdoor recreation organizations, ORBA continues to support policies that improve recreation infrastructure and help ensure responsible access to America's public lands.
While ORBA and SEMA continue to advocate for policy reforms that improve public land access, investments in maintaining the infrastructure that supports recreation are equally important. Together, these efforts help ensure future generations can continue to responsibly enjoy America's public lands.
ORBA will continue tracking the legislation as it moves through Congress and will keep members informed of significant developments.
SEMA/ORBA Legislative Timeline
2020 – SEMA reports on and supports the original Great American Outdoors Act.
June 2026 – ORBA signs onto the Outdoor Recreation Roundtable coalition letter supporting reauthorization.
June 2026 – House and Senate committees advance the America the Beautiful Act.
ORBA will continue monitoring the legislation and provide updates as it progresses toward final passage and implementation.
Reference
SEMA News: U.S. Senate Debates Bill to Restore Federal Lands https://www.sema.org/news-media/enews/2020/24/us-senate-debates-bill-restore-federal-lands