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S. 873 118th Congress Senate

America’s Outdoor Recreation Act of 2023

Official title: A bill to improve recreation opportunities on, and facilitate greater access to, Federal public land, and for other purposes.

Introduced: March 16, 2023 See on congress.gov
Public Lands and Natural Resources Advisory bodiesAquatic ecologyCommunity life and organizationComputers and information technology
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Congressional oversightForests, forestry, treesGeography and mappingGovernment buildings, facilities, and propertyGovernment information and archivesGovernment liabilityGovernment studies and investigationsHunting and fishingInfrastructure developmentIntergovernmental relationsInternet, web applications, social mediaLand use and conservationLicensing and registrationsOutdoor recreationParks, recreation areas, trailsPedestrians and bicyclingPerformance measurementPest managementPhotography and imagingPublic participation and lobbyingPublic-private cooperationSocial work, volunteer service, charitable organizationsSports and recreation facilitiesTravel and tourismUrban and suburban affairs and developmentUser charges and feesWilderness and natural areas, wildlife refuges, wild rivers, habitats
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This bill died when the 118th Congress ended
It never became law before the 118th Congress (2023–2024) adjourned, and bills don't carry over to the next Congress. It would have to be reintroduced. You can still save it for reference, but it won't receive updates.
 Everywhere this bill has been 5 steps
Introduced
In committee
Reported out
Passed House
Passed Senate
To President
Became law
Jul 26, 2023
Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 172.
Jul 26, 2023
Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. Reported by Senator Manchin with amendments. With written report No. 118-79.
May 17, 2023
Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. Ordered to be reported with amendments favorably.
Mar 16, 2023
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.
Mar 16, 2023
Introduced in Senate
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 Latest action July 26, 2023

Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 172.

 Plain-English summary Congressional Research Service

America's Outdoor Recreation Act of 2023

This bill addresses issues regarding public recreation and access to recreation on federal lands and waters, including special recreation permits for outfitting and guiding.

Among other provisions, the bill requires

  • the Department of the Interior and the Department of Agriculture (USDA) to identify long-distance bike trails and opportunities to develop or complete long-distance bike trails;
  • USDA to issue guidance relating to climbing management for National Forest System land;
  • Interior and USDA to identify and establish target shooting ranges within national forests and Bureau of Land Management districts; and
  • Interior and the Forest Service to enter into an agreement with the Department of Commerce to foster the installation or construction of broadband internet infrastructure at developed recreation sites on federal recreational lands and waters.

Interior and the Forest Service must conduct a single inventory and assessment of recreation resources for federal recreational lands and waters and publish the inventory and assessment for public comment.

Interior shall establish a Federal Interagency Council on Outdoor Recreation.

Interior and the Forest Service must (1) alert the public to closure or disruption of public campsites, trails, roads, and other public areas and access points; and (2) develop and make public a national strategy to increase the number of youth recreation visits to federal land.

The bill provides for online collection of recreation fees and for the establishment of a digital version of America the Beautiful--The National Parks and Federal Recreational Lands Passes.

 Related & companion bills 8
  • HR 1576 FILM Act
  • S 390 Gateway Community and Recreation Enhancement Act
  • S 1385 Recreation for All Act
  • S 2105 Stop the Spread of Invasive Mussels Act of 2023
  • HR 1614 Range Access Act
  • HR 1065 Outdoors for All Act
  • S 448 Outdoors for All Act
  • S 605 Biking on Long-Distance Trails Act
 Bill text 2 versions

Source documents hosted by congress.gov.

 Committees of jurisdiction 2
 Lobbying activity 7

Registered lobbyists who named this bill in their disclosure filings. Source: federal Lobbying Disclosure Act filings.

Bodies those filers lobbied

A filing lists the bills it worked on and the parts of government it contacted in separate sections, so these are the bodies those filers named anywhere in the filing, not a per-bill breakdown.

See all 7 filings →
 Cosponsors 1
All 1 Republican 1
R
Barrasso, John
Wyoming · Mar 16, 2023
Cite this page click to expand
APA
U.S. Congress. (2026). S. 873: America’s Outdoor Recreation Act of 2023. 118th Congress. Open America. https://openamerica.io/bill/118-S-873/
MLA
"S. 873: America’s Outdoor Recreation Act of 2023." 118th Congress, 2026, Open America, https://openamerica.io/bill/118-S-873/.
Bluebook (legal)
S. 873, 118th Cong. (2026), https://openamerica.io/bill/118-S-873/.
Markdown link
[S. 873: America’s Outdoor Recreation Act of 2023](https://openamerica.io/bill/118-S-873/)
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