LWCF Distribution Parity for Territories and DC introduced..

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Today, Rep. Bordallo introduced the LWCF Parity for Territories and DC Act, with all 6 Members of Congress representing U.S. territories and the District of Columbia as original cosponsors:

  • Resident Commissioner González-Colón (R-PR)
  • Rep. Holmes Norton (D-DC)
  • Rep. Radewagen (R-AS)
  • Rep. Sablan (D-NMI)
  • Rep. Plaskett (D-USVI)

Press Release: https://bordallo.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/bordallo-introduces-lwcf-bill-fully-fund-public-parks-and-outdoor

This noncontroversial, bipartisan bill would simply provide a full state-equivalent share of annual LWCF grants to each of the 5 U.S. territories and the District of Columbia. Current law requires the territories and DC to split—6 ways—the LWCF allocation that a single state receives from the U.S. Department of the Interior each year. We are seeking a letter of support from your organization endorsing this bill, which ensures fair and equal treatment for our territories and DC in receiving LWCF grants for public parkland and outdoor recreation projects. In addition, the full state-equivalent LWCF share provided by this bill will help PR and USVI rebuild from the recent hurricanes.

Rep. Bordallo plans to make this bill a priority before the House Natural Resources Committee, of which she is a senior member. House Natural Resources Committee Majority and Minority staff have reviewed this bill language and have no objections. This bill represents rare bipartisan consensus on an LWCF issue that purposefully avoids the larger partisan fight over federal land acquisition.