House’s EXPLORE Act mirrors Senate’s AORA as bipartisan recreation package
Outdoor Alliance and its partners have been working for years to develop and pass a package of recreation policy to improve outdoor recreation on public lands and waters.
The Senate and House have now introduced complementary packages of outdoor recreation policy: America’s Outdoor Recreation Act (AORA) in the Senate and the Expanding Public Lands Outdoor Recreation Experiences (EXPLORE) Act in the House. Both packages include the BOLT Act, as well as several more great bills for mountain biking and outdoor recreation.
This first-of-its-kind bipartisan recreation package takes important steps to expand and improve outdoor recreation access, management, and opportunities while outdoor recreation participation, appreciation and economic impact continues to grow.
Highlights for mountain bikers include IMBA’s Biking on Long Distance Trails Act (BOLT) to identify and create more long-distance bike trails; portions of the Recreation not Red Tape Act that IMBA helped draft in 2017 including expanding seasonal recreation opportunities, promoting partnerships with Tribal and State governments, and outlining volunteer programs that will improve relationships with local trail maintenance groups. The EXPLORE Act also includes great opportunities to expand access to the outdoors through Extending the Every Kid Outdoors Act and including the Simplifying Outdoor Access for Recreation Act (SOAR), and has many more great elements rock climbers, guides, skiers, and all outdoor enthusiasts thanks to efforts by many Outdoor Alliance partner organizations.
“The EXPLORE Act offers a tremendous opportunity to expand access for mountain biking, for trails, and for recreation in communities across the country. We are grateful to Representative Westerman and Representative Grijalva for their bipartisan leadership to introduce this first-of-its-kind package of recreation policy. IMBA and our partners will be working to pass the EXPLORE Act, which includes the Biking on Long-Distance Trails Act, and will continue engaging mountain bike advocates to join us.” – Todd Keller, IMBA Director of Government Affairs
The EXPLORE Act will have its first House committee hearing November 30, 2023 with members of the administration and outdoor community testifying. Read IMBA’s written testimony.
To support the EXPLORE Act, send your comments to your representatives here.
