{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://www.heinrich.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/heinrich-boozman-introduce-bipartisan-every-kid-outdoors-extension-act", "Heinrich, Boozman Introduce Bipartisan Every Kid Outdoors Extension Act", "2024-09-20", "2024", "2024-09", "Democrat", "Senate", "NM", "Martin Heinrich", "H001046", "www.heinrich.senate.gov", "heinrich", "https://www.heinrich.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "Bill extends the wildly successful Every Kid Outdoors Program that Heinrich helped to establish in 2019 to provide all American fourth graders and their families free national park access\n\nWASHINGTON \u2013 Today, U.S. Senators Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), a member of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, and John Boozman (R-Ark.) introduced their bipartisan Every Kid Outdoors Extension Act to provide free access to national parks and other public lands to all American fourth grade students and their families, through 2031.\n\n\u201cAs a father and a former outdoor educator, I know firsthand how much of a difference getting outside can make for our kids,\u201d said Heinrich. \u201cI\u2019m so proud of the doors we have opened to our public lands for fourth graders and their families since we passed my Every Kid Outdoors Act into law five years ago. Now, we can double down on this successful program, turning our national parks and other public lands into outdoor classrooms with endless opportunities for children to learn and families to make new memories.\u201d\n\n\u201cIntroducing young Americans to our national parks inspires an appreciation for the lands and resources that help define our country. I\u2019m proud to support this legislation that allows the next generation to discover our national treasures and explore the outdoors,\u201dsaid Boozman.\n\nStarting in 2015, the U.S. Department of the Interior has offered fourth graders and their families free entrance to all federally managed public lands. Heinrich led the original bipartisan effort in Congress, alongside then-U.S. Senator Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) to codify the Every Kid Outdoors program into law. Heinrich and Alexander\u2019s Every Kid Outdoors Act passed in 2019 as part of the larger John D. Dingell Jr. Conservation, Management, and Recreation Act.\n\nThe authorization under Heinrich\u2019s original legislation is currently scheduled to expire in 2026. Heinrich and Boozman\u2019s Every Kid Outdoors Extension Act would extend the authorization for the program through 2031.\n\nFull text of the Every Kid Outdoors Extension Act can be found HERE.\n\nThe Every Kid Outdoors program has been wildly successful at encouraging tens of thousands of children and their families to explore America\u2019s public lands, waters, and historic sites, including national parks \u2013 more than 2,000 sites in all. In 2023, Every Kid Outdoors vouchers helped create free admission for 11,805 visits to New Mexico public lands, including 879 visits to Carlsbad Caverns National Park, 295 visits to Bandelier National Monument, and 396 visits to White Sands National Park.\n\nSupport for the Every Kid Outdoors Extension Act:\n\nThe Every Kid Outdoors Extension Act has garnered widespread support, including endorsements from The Wilderness Society, the Sierra Club, and the Outdoor Alliance for Kids.\n\n\u201cOver the past nine years, hundreds of thousands of children have been able to enjoy our public lands with the support of the Every Kid Outdoors program. This program has helped to introduce and facilitate outdoors adventures and experiences to these children and their families during a critical formative period in their lives. The Outdoors Alliance for Kids is eager to see this program continue to benefit families and communities for generations to come,\u201d said Julia Hurwit, Campaign Manager for Outdoors Alliance for Kids.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-07T21:43:57Z"]], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "primary_key_values": ["https://www.heinrich.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/heinrich-boozman-introduce-bipartisan-every-kid-outdoors-extension-act"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 1.455443911254406, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}