Wilderness Society urges swift action on budget caps bill, H.R. 2021
U.S. Capitol Dome in Washington, DC
Mason Cummings (TWS)
WASHINGTON, April 9, 2019 ---- The Wilderness Society is urging Congress to swiftly pass HR 2021 and raise budget caps to avert devastating cuts to conservation programs. Without a deal to raise the budget caps imposed by the Budget Control Act, the sequestration process will lead to a $125 billion cut to non-defense domestic spending priorities.
When taking the President’s disastrous budget in to account, sequestration could trigger an 11 percent cut to the Department of Interior budget and a more than 10 percent cut to the US Forest Service. Even level funding would represent cuts to key conservation programs.
Chairman Yarmuth and the House Budget Committee introduced a bill, H.R. 2021, that would raise the spending caps for non-defense and defense spending, avoid sequestration and provide a path to fund the programs that protect our health and the outdoors. Yarmuth’s bill passed out of committee, and the House will likely vote on the bill this week.
Statement from Jonathan Asher, Government Relations Manager for Conservation Funding, The Wilderness Society
“If Congress doesn’t act, sequestration cuts will devastate our public lands and the agencies that manage them. Both are still reeling from years of chronic underfunding, the recent government shutdown and skyrocketing wildfire costs. Congress must act swiftly and responsibly to raise the budget caps and fund the protection and care of our nation’s natural wonders and our great outdoors. Many local communities as well as our national recreation economy depend on access to healthy, public lands. H.R. 2021 is the first step to preserving this vital legacy.”
(See letter from conservation groups below.)
CONTACTS: Jonathan Asher, jonathan_asher@tws.org, 202-713-7201; Michael Reinemer, Michael_reinemer@tws.org, (202) 429-3949
The Wilderness Society is the leading conservation organization working to protect wilderness and inspire Americans to care for our wild places. Founded in 1935, and now with more than one million members and supporters, The Wilderness Society has led the effort to permanently protect 109 million acres of wilderness and to ensure sound management of our shared national lands. Visit www.wilderness.org.
