I 
112TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 3353 
To authorize the Secretary of the Interior to carry out programs and activities 
that connect Americans, especially children, youth, and families, with 
the outdoors. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
NOVEMBER 3, 2011 
Mr. KIND introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee 
on Natural Resources, and in addition to the Committee on Energy and 
Commerce, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, 
in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the juris-
diction of the committee concerned 
A BILL 
To authorize the Secretary of the Interior to carry out pro-
grams and activities that connect Americans, especially 
children, youth, and families, with the outdoors. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Healthy Kids Outdoors 
Act of 2011’’. 
SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 
Congress finds as follows: 
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(1) Children today are spending less time out-
doors than any generation in human history, as evi-
denced by studies that show children enjoy half as 
much time outdoors today as they did just 20 years 
ago, while spending more than 71⁄2 hours every day 
in front of electronic media. 
(2) The health of our children is at risk as evi-
denced by the growing obesity crisis where, during 
the 20-year period between 1991 and 2011, the 
childhood obesity rate has more than doubled and 
the adolescent obesity rate has tripled, costing the 
economy of the United States billions of dollars each 
year. 
(3) Our military readiness is declining as nearly 
1 in 4 applicants to the military is rejected for being 
overweight or obese, which is the most common rea-
son for medical disqualification. 
(4) Research has shown that military children 
and families are facing increased stress and mental 
strain and challenges due to multiple, extended de-
ployments. Military family service organizations have 
developed programs that connect military children 
and families with positive, meaningful outdoor expe-
riences that benefit mental and physical health, but 
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they lack sufficient resources to meet increasing de-
mand. 
(5) In addition to the negative economic impact 
of childhood obesity, the outdoor retail industry, 
many local tourist destinations or ‘‘gateway commu-
nities’’, and State fish and wildlife agencies rely on 
revenue generated when individuals spend time out-
doors to create jobs in local communities. 
(6) Over the past several years, urbanization, 
changing land use patterns, increasing road traffic, 
and inadequate solutions to addressing these chal-
lenges in the built environment have combined to 
make it more difficult for many Americans to walk 
or bike to schools, parks, and play areas or experi-
ence the natural environment in general. 
(7) Visitation to our Nation’s public lands has 
declined or remained flat in recent years, and yet, 
connecting with nature and the great outdoors in 
our communities is critical to fostering the next gen-
eration of outdoor enthusiasts who will visit, appre-
ciate, and become stewards of our Nation’s public 
lands. 
(8) It takes many dedicated men and women to 
work to preserve, protect, enhance, and restore 
America’s natural resources, and with an aging 
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workforce in the natural resource professions, it is 
critical for the next generation to have an apprecia-
tion for nature and be ready to take over these re-
sponsibilities. 
(9) Spending time outdoors in nature is bene-
ficial to our children’s physical, mental, and emo-
tional health and has been proven to decrease symp-
toms of attention deficit and hyperactivity disorder, 
stimulate brain development, improve motor skills, 
result in better sleep, reduce stress, increase cre-
ativity, improve mood, and reduce children’s risk of 
developing myopia. 
(10) Children who spend time playing outside 
are more likely to take risks, seek out adventure, de-
velop self-confidence, and respect the value of na-
ture. 
(11) Spending time in green spaces outside the 
home, including parks, play areas, and garden, can 
increase concentration, inhibition of initial impulses, 
and self-discipline and has been shown to reduce 
stress and mental fatigue. In one study, children 
who were exposed to greener environments in a pub-
lic housing area demonstrated less aggression, vio-
lence, and stress. 
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