Tester Statement on Committee Passage of the Outdoor REC Act

(U.S. Senate) -Senator Jon Tester issued the following statement today after his Outdoor Recreation Jobs and Economic Impact (REC) Act requiring the Department of Commerce to measure and report on the economic impact of the outdoor recreation industry passed out of the Commerce Committee:

“From the thousands of tourists who flock to Montana every year to the guides who make a living on our streams to the local sporting goods stores operating on Main Street, we know that our great outdoors are an incredible economic driver. This bill will ensure we have consistent, reliable data so we can strengthen our outdoor industry and ensure our treasured places are here for the next generation.”

The Department of Commerce’s Bureau of Economic Analysis reports on the economic output of certain industries, including agriculture, mining, and oil production. This bill requires the Department to add outdoor recreation to that list.