The Mountaineers
After more than a year of stopgap funding measures and turmoil for federal public lands, Congress passed a full-year funding bill last week in a rare moment of bipartisan collaboration. The legislation will support land management agencies for the remainder of the fiscal year, helping the U.S. Forest Service, National Park Service, and Bureau of Land Management stabilize operations, maintain staffing, and continue to provide the outdoor recreation experiences that our community so deeply values.
Now that the funding bill has passed both chambers of Congress and is set to become law, this is a critical moment to take action. Keep the momentum going for public lands by thanking your lawmakers for supporting the bill. Send a thank you message today to let your representative know that you appreciate them standing up for investments in the national parks and forests we all love.
WHAT’S IN THE BILL AND WHY IT MATTERS
Since the last time public lands agencies received full funding in March of 2024, they have been operating under a series of short- and long-term measures called continuing resolutions or CRs. While CRs have kept the government open and agencies operating, they have also prevented land managers from hiring and backfilling staff, delayed seasonal employees who maintain trails and campgrounds, and slowed contracts for repairs and maintenance. Operating under these funding measures meant federal agencies lacked clear direction from Congress, giving the administration broad discretion over how funds are managed. In the last year, this has meant staggering reductions in force and sweeping reorganization plans that have left land managers struggling to maintain basic services.
The new appropriations bill replaces uncertainty with a clear funding plan, ensuring that resources are used for their intended purpose: caring for public lands and supporting the people who manage them. The bill rejects the deep cuts proposed by the administration and locks in funding for core land management operations like trail and facility maintenance, visitor center operations, and wildfire preparedness, as well as priority programs like the Land and Water Conservation Fund. This funding will provide agencies with a stable financial baseline for the remainder of the year, allowing them to better plan work, manage contracts, and keep essential services running on public lands. Importantly, the legislation also preserves funding for staffing at prior year levels and mandates the advance notice to Congress of any significant reorganization or mass-firing efforts, helping agencies avoid further staffing losses.
This bill is not the final word on public lands funding, nor does it reverse years of underinvestment overnight, but it’s a major improvement over the recent status quo. By restoring stability and congressional direction, the legislation establishes a solid baseline from which advocates can continue the work of rebuilding agency capacity and ensuring the long-term resilience of our public lands.
A WIN POWERED BY PUBLIC LANDS ADVOCATES
The appropriations bill is a major victory for public lands - not only because it provides robust funding to land managers, but because it represents a bipartisan affirmation of Congress’s commitment to public lands. In a challenging political environment, the passage of this funding reflects months of sustained advocacy from lawmakers, The Mountaineers and our partners, and outdoor enthusiasts like you who bridged geographic and political divides to stand up for our shared public lands.
We are especially thankful to Senator Patty Murray, who, as a senior appropriator, played a critical role in pushing back against damaging cuts and advancing a funding package that supports public lands. This fall, Mountaineers staff traveled to Washington, D.C. to meet directly with Washington’s congressional delegation - including Senator Murray - to advocate for stable funding, adequate staffing, and strong congressional oversight, helping ensure those priorities were heard.
Mountaineers members have also played a critical role in advocating for public lands funding. Our community shared personal stories about the real-world impacts of staffing cuts and chronic underfunding, helping legislators understand what budget decisions mean on the ground - from trail conditions to visitor services. Last month, members of our community built on that foundation by sending messages to lawmakers urging them to pass full year appropriations for public land agencies. This funding bill is proof that our community’s voice made a difference.
TAKE ACTION
While this appropriations bill is a major victory, it’s not the end of the story. Federal land management agencies continue to grapple with significant staffing shortages and a growing backlog of deferred maintenance that affect trails, campgrounds, visitor services, and public safety. Rebuilding agency capacity and long-term resilience is a long term process. Continued progress will depend on whether lawmakers hear, clearly and often, that investing in public lands remains a priority for the people they represent.
That’s where you come in. Right now, thanking lawmakers who supported this bipartisan funding package is one of the most effective ways to reinforce this win and build momentum for what comes next. Congress needs to hear from the outdoor recreation community that fully funded public land agencies are a priority.
Use our action form to send a brief message of gratitude to help ensure that this important investment isn’t treated as a one time exception, but the standard going forward. Let your representatives know their leadership mattered, and that you hope for continued support for the lands and waters we all depend on.
