SEC. 2. ESTABLISHMENT OF COMMISSION. 
There is established in the legislative branch a bipar-
tisan 21st Century Great Outdoors Commission to assess 
the use, value, job creation, and economic opportunities 
associated with the outdoor resources of the public lands 
and other land and water areas of the United States, and 
for other purposes. The outdoor resources of the public 
lands and other land and water areas of the United States 
confer enormous benefits on the people of the United 
States including providing clean water as well as economic 
benefits. 
SEC. 3. FINDINGS. 
The Congress finds the following: 
(1) Current research indicates that changing 
demographics, impacts of climate change, lack of 
public access, and funding shortfalls create chal-
lenges for land and recreation managers. The re-
search also affirms that outdoor resources present 
opportunities for job creation and economic develop-
ment. 
(2) Outdoor recreation is responsible for more 
than $646,000,000,000 in direct consumer spending, 
generates more than $80,000,000,000 in Federal, 
State, and local taxes and supports more than 
6,100,000 American jobs. 
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(3) Outdoor recreation opportunities are critical 
to the Nation’s 46,800,000 hunters and anglers who 
generate at least 33,700,000,000 in economic activ-
ity nationwide. 
(4) Outdoor recreation promotes better mental 
and physical health for children. Research shows 
that spending time outside enhances fitness and im-
proves academic achievement. 
(5) Therapeutic and adaptive recreation pro-
grams provide invaluable benefits to disabled and in-
jured veterans. These programs not only aid in phys-
ical recovery but also help to address mental health 
issues, such as post-traumatic stress disorder, and 
other afflictions suffered by wounded warriors. 
(6) It has been increasingly clear that land and 
water available for outdoor recreation also has other 
benefits to society including the protection of water 
resources, the conservation of fish and wildlife habi-
tat, protection of communities from natural hazards 
such as flooding and storms, reduction in air pollu-
tion and sustaining rural land uses such ranching, 
farming, and forest management. 
(7) The 2010 Census reports that four out of 
five Americans now live in urban or metropolitan 
areas, making the need for safe and accessible 
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‘‘close-to-home’’ outdoor recreation opportunities 
more important than ever. 
(8) The American people have benefitted from 
two federally initiated national reviews of outdoor 
recreation resources in the latter half of the twen-
tieth century. The Outdoor Recreation Resources 
Review Commission, established by legislation and 
signed by President Eisenhower in 1958, issued its 
report in 1962, which led to the passage of several 
landmark conservation and outdoor recreation laws. 
The President’s Commission on Outdoor Recreation, 
established by Executive order by President Reagan 
and Chaired by then Governor Lamar Alexander, 
issued its report in 1987, the findings of which so-
lidified the importance of our Nation’s outdoor 
recreation laws and further recognized the value of 
partnerships and cooperation in ensuring outdoor 
recreation opportunities for all Americans. The 21st 
Century Great Outdoors Commission established in 
this Act will build upon this foundation of existing 
conservation and recreation programs that were cre-
ated from the previous commissions and will address 
recreation and conservation needs in 21st century 
America. Further, it will help guide policies to help 
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meet the demands for outdoor recreation and con-
servation throughout the Nation. 
(9) The bipartisan Outdoor Resources Review 
Group, through Resources for the Future, reported 
on the State of the Great Outdoors in 2009 identi-
fying issues with the supply and financing of out-
door recreation opportunities. 
(10) The Obama Administration launched the 
America’s Great Outdoors Initiative to develop a 
21st century conservation and recreation agenda. 
The America’s Great Outdoors Initiative led to the 
Federal Interagency Council on Outdoor Recreation, 
which strives to support and enhance outdoor recre-
ation access and opportunities on Federal public 
lands, waters, and shores. 
(11) The bipartisan Western Governors’ Asso-
ciation released a report in 2012 identifying chal-
lenges and recommending strategies for providing 
outdoor recreation experiences in the Western 
United States. 
(12) It has been over 25 years since the last 
presidentially directed review of America’s conserva-
tion and outdoor recreation needs. The people of the 
United States would benefit from a new federally 
initiated bipartisan review of American outdoor re-
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sources and from policy recommendations including 
how to maximize the economic opportunities associ-
ated with changing use patterns, how differing re-
gions can access American outdoor resources, and 
how Federal, State, local, and private interests can 
address existing challenges. 
SEC. 4. DEFINITIONS. 
For the purposes of this Act: 
(1) COMMISSION.—The term ‘‘Commission’’ 
means the 21st Century Great Outdoors Commis-
sion. 
(2) OUTDOOR RESOURCES.—The term ‘‘outdoor 
resources’’ means the land and water areas and as-
sociated resources of such areas in the United States 
and its territories and possessions, which provide or 
may in the future provide opportunities for outdoor 
recreation and enjoyment. 
(3) OUTDOOR
RECREATION.—The term ‘‘out-
door recreation’’ means use of outdoor resources, 
both developed and undeveloped, in urban, suburban, 
and rural areas, including backcountry and dis-
persed recreation on public lands. 
SEC. 5. COMPOSITION OF COMMISSION. 
(a) MEMBERSHIP.— 
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(1) IN
GENERAL.—The Commission shall be 
composed of 11 members, appointed not later than 
60 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, 
as follows: 
(A) Two members who shall be appointed 
by the Speaker of the House of Representatives. 
(B) One member who shall be appointed 
by the minority leader of the House of Rep-
resentatives. 
(C) Two members who shall be appointed 
by the majority leader of the Senate. 
(D) One member who shall be appointed 
by the minority leader of the Senate. 
(E) Five members who shall be appointed 
by the President from among persons who are 
broadly representative of the people of the 
United States, only two of which shall be from 
the President’s political party. 
(2) TERM.—Each member shall be appointed 
for the life of the Commission. 
(3) VACANCY.—A vacancy in the Commission 
shall not affect its powers and shall be filled in the 
manner in which the original appointment was 
made. 
(b) COMPENSATION.— 
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(3) QUORUM.—Five members of the Commis-
sion shall constitute a quorum, but a lesser number 
may hold hearings. 
(4) RULES.—The Commission may establish 
rules of procedure for the conduct of the Commis-
sion’s business, if such rules are not inconsistent 
with this Act or other applicable law. 
(d) ADVISORY COUNCIL.—The Commission shall es-
tablish an advisory council to assist the Commission in 
carrying out its duties. The Advisory Council shall consist 
of the liaison officers involved with the Federal Inter-
agency Council on Outdoor Recreation, together with 20 
additional members appointed by the Commission. The 
Commission shall consider broad-based geographical and 
interest representation, including citizens involved with 
local parks and recreation centers, outdoor recreation at 
the local, State, and Federal levels, public health, local 
recreation businesses, hunting and fishing activities, other 
wildlife interests, land conservation, historic, and cultural 
preservation, and other natural resource-based activities. 
SEC. 6. DUTIES. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Commission, in its inquiries, 
findings, and recommendations, shall recognize that— 
(1) present and future solutions to problems of 
outdoor resources and opportunities are responsibil-
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ities at all levels of government, from local to Fed-
eral, and of individuals and private organizations; 
(2) lands, waters, forest, rangelands, wetlands, 
wildlife, and such other natural resources serve mul-
tiple purposes; and 
(3) sound planning of resource use for the full 
future welfare of the Nation must include coordina-
tion and integration of multiple uses such as eco-
nomic development, energy development, recreation, 
historic preservation, and conservation. 
(b) SPECIFIC DUTIES.—The duties of the Commis-
sion are as follows: 
(1) Review and augment existing contemporary 
research on outdoor resources, including numerous 
economic studies, and identify areas that have not 
been thoroughly researched. 
(2) Use existing research to better determine 
use patterns, expectations, and resource needs. 
(3) Conduct detailed case studies of use, chal-
lenges, and successes associated with outdoor re-
sources in every region of the United States to bet-
ter understand regional opportunities and challenges 
in urban, suburban, and rural areas. The Commis-
sion, working with the Advisory Council, shall deter-
mine regional boundaries and case study locations. 
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(4) Evaluate existing Federal funding programs 
to determine how well they can work better to ac-
complish more conservation and recreation objec-
tives. 
(5) Evaluate the role that the Federal Govern-
ment plays in preserving and enhancing recreational 
opportunities and associated regional economies vis- 
a`-vis States, localities, and the private sector. 
(6) Evaluate and identify opportunities, prac-
tices, and investment strategies where the conserva-
tion of land for outdoor recreation can also serve 
other needs such as— 
(A) the responsible and effective reuse of 
relinquished military property for public benefit; 
(B) protection of water resources; 
(C) the conservation of fish and wildlife 
habitat; 
(D) providing buffers from natural hazards 
such as storms and floods; and 
(E) sustaining traditional uses of rural 
land such farming, ranching, and forest man-
agement. 
(7) Provide policy recommendations, including 
recommendations on how to— 
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(A) address key challenges such as climate 
change; 
(B) use outdoor resources to improve 
health; 
(C) account for the effects of increasing 
urbanization on outdoor resources and recre-
ation; 
(D) maximize access to recreation for un-
derserved communities, including outdoor pro-
grams for youth; 
(E) maximize access to adaptive and thera-
peutic recreation programs for disabled and in-
jured veterans; 
(F) use recreation to strengthen regional 
economies; 
(G) preserve regional recreation economies; 
and 
(H) improve the use of existing funding 
and programs for conservation and recreation. 
(c) REPORTS.— 
(1) INTERIM
AND
PROGRESS
REPORTS.—The 
Commission, on its own initiative or on request of 
the President or the Congress, shall prepare interim 
or progress reports on particular phases of its re-
view. 
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(2) FINAL REPORT.—Not later than 18 months 
after the date on which all members of the Commis-
sion have been appointed, the Commission shall 
present a report of its review and its recommenda-
tions to the President, Congress, and State Gov-
ernors. The report and recommendations shall— 
(A) be presented in such form as to make 
them of maximum value to State, local, and re-
gional entities; 
(B) include recommendations as to means 
whereby the review may effectively be kept cur-
rent in the future; and 
(C) include recommendations for the near 
future and for further action in 2020 and 2040. 
SEC. 7. POWERS OF THE COMMISSION. 
(a) CONTRACTING.—The Commission may, to such 
extent and in such amounts as are provided in advance 
in Acts of appropriation, enter into contracts to enable the 
Commission to discharge its duties under this Act. 
(b) INFORMATION FROM FEDERAL AGENCIES.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—The Commission is author-
ized to secure directly from any executive depart-
ment, bureau, agency, board, commission, office, 
independent establishment, or instrumentality of the 
Federal Government, information, suggestions, esti-
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