I 
113TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 4706 
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 
MAY 21, 2014 
Mr. KIND (for himself, Mr. CONNOLLY, and Mr. PRICE of North Carolina) 
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 2014’’. 
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, in the 
past 30 years, childhood obesity has more than dou-
bled in children and quadrupled in adolescents, cost-
ing the economy of the United States billions of dol-
lars 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 
they lack sufficient resources to meet increasing de-
mand. 
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(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) Spending time in green spaces outside the 
home, including public lands, parks, play areas, and 
garden, can increase concentration, inhibition of ini-
tial 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 public housing area demonstrated less aggres-
sion, violence, and stress. 
(8) 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-
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