A Democrat from New Hampshire and a Republican from Washington were honored in Washington D.C. last week with the Friend of the Outdoor Industry Award for their work defending federal conservation programs and proposing reforms that would reduce tariffs on some outdoor products.
Sen. Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) was recognized for her work as a co-sponsor of legislation that would ensure the survival of the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF), a federal program that invests in the national recreation system, including local parks, playgrounds and ball fields. The program has been targeted for deep cuts and even elimination by some GOP lawmakers. She is a member of the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources and the Subcommittee on Public Lands and Forests.
Rep. Dave Reichert (R-WA-8) is the lead sponsor of the U.S. OUTDOOR Act, which would reduce tariffs of as high as 28 percent on recreational performance outerwear while creating a revenue source to pay for research on ways to enhance the competitiveness and sustainability of the U.S. textile supply chain. Reichert has used his position as a member of the House Committee on Ways and Means and the Subcommittee on Trade to support policy and legislation that benefit outdoor companies and promote the growth of the industry. He is also a co-chair of both the Land Conservation and National Parks caucuses, where he too has advocated full funding of the LWCF.
The Friends of the Outdoor Industry Award is given each year by Outdoor Industry Association (OIA) to lawmakers or members of the executive branch for their leadership in support of the outdoor recreation industry. The awards are presented by industry executives during the OIA Capitol Summit, an annual outdoor industry lobbying event. Past winners of the award include former Sen. Ken Salazar (D-CO), who has gone on to champion the America’s Great Outdoors Initiative as Secretary of Interior in the Obama Administration.
