Ranchers Oppose Permanent Funding for Federal Land Acquisition Program

Public Lands Council (PLC) President Bob Skinner and National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) President Jennifer Houston released the following statements in response to today’s markup of S. 1081, the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) Permanent Funding Act, by the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee:

“Congress eliminated their primary oversight authority over the LWCF by permanently reauthorizing the program earlier this year. If the LWCF Permanent Funding Act is enacted, what little ability lawmakers still have to oversee this $900 million checkbook will forever be lost. It is irresponsible and reckless for the legislative branch to waive its duty to oversee this federal land acquisition vehicle.” – PLC President Bob Skinner

“There is already a multi-billion dollar maintenance backlog on the lands that the federal government already administers. Granting permanent funding to the LWCF, something usually reserved for things like Social Security and veterans benefits, would be a careless misuse of federal dollars.” – NCBA President Jennifer Houston