AUDIO: Udall Hosts Press Call on LWCF and Justice in Policing Act
WASHINGTON—U.S. Senator Tom Udall (D-N.M.), ranking member of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies hosted a press call on his efforts to pass the Great American Outdoors Act through the Senate this week— legislation that fully and permanently funds the Land and Water Conservation Fund. The bill would also direct billions to fund maintenance backlog at National Parks and other public lands.
“Yesterday, we took the first vote on bipartisan legislation that permanently and fully funds the Land and Water Conservation Fund and begins to address the backlog of deferred maintenance on our public lands. The LWCF has been called our nation’s most successful conservation program. For over 55 years, LWCF has helped expand our national parks and forests, wildlife refuges, and trail systems,” Udall said. “Locally, LWCF has supported over 1,200 parks, trails, soccer fields, and other outdoor recreation opportunities across New Mexico, touching every county in our state.”
Udall continued, “Yesterday, in a bipartisan procedural vote, the Senate began moving to permanently and fully fund LWCF. The bill – the Great American Outdoors Act – also begins to tackle the $19 billion backlog of deferred maintenance on federal lands by appropriating up to $1.9 billion per year for 5 years for the backlog… Investing in our public lands must be a central part of our national recovery. Because these lands sustain us – they are central to our economy, and to our national identity.”
Udall also discussed the Justice in Policing Act , introduced by Senators Cory Booker (D-N.J.) and Kamala Harris (D-Calif.) and cosponsored by Udall.
“Around the nation, and in New Mexico, citizens are pouring into the streets to call for justice and an end to police brutality. The brutal killing of George Floyd – and the horror of watching the last 8 minutes and 46 seconds of life being taken from him – have so many Americans saying: enough is enough. I stand with the families of Mr. Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery, and so many others in communities of color whose lives have been unjustly cut short,” Udall said.
Udall concluded, “Yesterday, Senators Booker and Harris introduced the Justice in Policing Act. I’m a proud co-sponsor. Many police officers serve with honor and integrity. But we cannot continue to sweep police brutality and racial inequality under the rug… I’m calling on the Senate Majority to act on this long-overdue legislation.”
The bipartisan Great American Outdoors Act fully funds LWCF, one of the nation’s bedrock conservation programs, at an annual amount of $900 million, as has been intended for decades. Udall fought to secure permanent authorization for LWCF in February 2019, a major victory that removed uncertainty from the future of the program. Udall has worked throughout his career to secure full and permanent funding for the LWCF. As the top Democrat on the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee overseeing the Department of Interior’s budget, Udall has successfully increased funding for LWCF year after year.
Long overdue, and in response to unjust killings of innocent Black lives at the hands of law enforcement, the Justice in Policing Act will ensure accountability, shine a light on police practices by requiring transparency, combat racial profiling, mandate racial bias training, ban chokeholds, require body cams, and will make lynching a federal crime.
Listen to the audio here.
Udall’s remarks are below:
0:00 Hello everyone. Thank you for joining me today.
0:07 Around the nation, and in New Mexico, citizens are pouring into the streets to call for justice and an end to police brutality. Following the brutal killing of George Floyd – and the horror of watching the last 8 minutes and 46 seconds of life being taken from him –so many Americans saying: enough is enough.
0:34 I stand with the families of Mr. Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery, and so many others in communities of color whose lives have been unjustly cut short.
0:46 Yesterday, Senators Booker and Harris introduced the Justice in Policing Act. I’m a proud co-sponsor.
0:56 Many police officers serve with honor and integrity. But we cannot continue to sweep police brutality and racial inequality under the rug.
1:07 Our landmark legislation:
- Holds police misconduct accountable in the courts
- Requires transparency and accountability in police practices
- Ends racial profiling and mandates racial bias training,
- Bans chokeholds and requires body cams, and
- Makes lynching a federal crime.
1:31 I’m calling on the Senate Majority to act on this long-overdue legislation.
1:38 Turning to another important topic: This week, in the Senate, I have good news to report. Yesterday, we took the first vote on bipartisan legislation that permanently and fully funds the Land and Water Conservation Fund and begins to address the backlog of deferred maintenance on our public lands.
1:57 The LWCF has been called our nation’s most successful conservation program. For over 55 years, LWCF has helped expand our national parks and forests, wildlife refuges, and trail systems.
2:15 My father, Stewart Udall, was one of the original leaders in the effort to establish the LWCF. I’m proud to continue on his work today.
2:26 The LWCF has had amazing results in New Mexico. Our state’s newest wildlife refuge, and the first urban refuge in the Southwest – Valle de Oro – would not have come about without LWCF funding.
2:45 Locally – LWCF has supported over 1,200 parks, trails, soccer fields, and other outdoor recreation opportunities across New Mexico, touching every county in our state.
2:58 However, the promise of LWCF has never been fulfilled. For decades, Congress had not permanently authorized the program or permanently funded it at the $900 million annual level allowed by Congress.
3:15 Last year, we permanently authorized the program in historic legislation.
3:23 Yesterday, in a bipartisan procedural vote, the Senate began moving to permanently and fully fund LWCF.
3:32 The bill – the Great American Outdoors Act – also begins to tackle the $19 billion backlog of deferred maintenance on federal lands by appropriating up to $1.9 billion per year for 5 years.
3:48 Across our nation – bridges and trails, our campgrounds and marinas, our drinking water and sewer systems are wearing out.
3:57 In New Mexico, we have $121 million worth of deferred maintenance at iconic places like Carlsbad Caverns, White Sands National Park, Chaco Culture National Historical Park, the Gila Cliff Dwellings, and Bandelier National Monument.
4:16 The bill is not only a win for the great outdoors, it’s a win for the economy. These measures will translate directly into economic growth. And we need to energize our economy now more than ever as we work our way out of the financial crisis created by COVID-19.
4:37 Investing in our public lands must be a central part of our national recovery. Because these lands sustain us – they are central to our economy, and to our national identity.
4:49 Udall takes questions
