Expressing support for "National Public Lands Day" and encouraging the people of the United States to visit public lands on this fee-free day and recognize their spiritual and cultural value, as well as their contribution to the economy of the United States.

Whereas there are over 618,000,000 acres of public lands across the United States;

Whereas the Department of the Interior, National Park Service, United States Fish and Wildlife Service, Forest Service, and Bureau of Land Management and their respective staff play a vital role in preserving the Nation’s public lands and ensuring that the public can visit these treasured places;

Whereas public lands have long been managed for multiple uses, including recreation, conservation, grazing, hunting, fishing, and resource development, reflecting their historic role in supporting rural economies, cultural traditions, and community livelihoods;

Whereas the National Park Service manages 433 individual units covering more than 85,000,000 acres in each State, the District of Columbia, and territories of the United States;

Whereas approximately 38,000,000 acres are protected by 31 national monuments, 25 national conservation areas and similar designations, and other covered areas in the national conservation lands managed by the Bureau of Land Management;

Whereas the Bureau of Land Management manages 263 wilderness areas and 487 wilderness study areas, encompassing more than 21,000,000 acres, in the United States;

Whereas there are more than 200 wild and scenic rivers in 40 States and the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, encompassing nearly 13,000 river miles;

Whereas there are 32 national trails in the National Trail System administered by the Bureau of Land Management, National Park Service, and Forest Service;

Whereas there are over 570 refuges in the National Wildlife System covering 856,000,000 acres of lands and waters managed by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service;

Whereas public lands are not only of great cultural and spiritual significance in the United States, but are also a major economic engine for a variety of industries;

Whereas public lands managed by the Bureau of Land Management generated approximately $252,000,000,000 in economic output and nearly 950,000 jobs in fiscal year 2024;

Whereas outdoor recreation contributed $696,700,000,000 to the economy of the United States in 2024;

Whereas public lands are hubs for biodiversity and treasured species;

Whereas the National Park Service saw 323,000,000 recreation visits in 2025;

Whereas the National Environmental Education Foundation has served as the longtime national coordinator of National Public Lands Day, first celebrated in 1994, during which millions of volunteers have contributed to the restoration and maintenance of these national treasures; and

Whereas September 26, 2026, marks National Public Lands Day: Now, therefore, be it