Congressman Mo Brooks Cosponsors Bill Giving Military Families Free Lifetime Access to National Parks and Public Lands

Statement

Washington, DC-- Congressman Mo Brooks (AL-05) is an original cosponsor of Congresswoman Mariannette Miller-Meek's (IA-02) and Congressman Ruben Gallego's (AZ-07) H.R. 4300, the Veterans in Park (VIP) Act. This bipartisan legislation will give active-duty service members, veterans, and Gold Star Families free lifetime access to America's most iconic natural treasures through the America the Beautiful Pass.

Background: The America the Beautiful Pass provides access to more than 2,000 federal recreation areas, including our national parks, national forests, and wildlife refuges. This includes some of the country's most iconic treasures, ranging from the Grand Canyon National Park to the Redwood National Forest.

Congressman Brooks said, "America is home to awe-inspiring national parks, majestic national forests, and federal wildlife refuges teeming with diverse species. Yellowstone, the Grand Canyon, Yosemite, and Acadia are just a few of the thousands of natural wonders that make America one of the most scenic and amazing landscapes on Earth. America's military families sacrifice so much defending our homeland. It is only right that these families have free access to the beautiful country they protect. In America, we're proud of our military service members and we're proud of our beautiful public lands."

Brooks concluded, "Last year, the Trump Administration made the America the Beautiful yearly access pass free for veterans and Gold Star families. H.R. 4300 would expand and permanently extend lifetime passes to active-duty service members, veterans, and Gold Star Families, granting them free access to public lands that won't depend on the whims of future administrations. As such, I am proud to be an original cosponsor to H.R. 4300!"

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