In a time when Congress is gridlocked and seemingly drawing lines straight down the aisle, the Great Outdoors America Week Celebration was a shining example of bipartisan support for America's great outdoors! The culminating event of Great Outdoors America Week [1]was a celebration held at the panoramic top of the Senate Hart Office Building. Nineteen Senators, and thirty-four Members of the House of Representatives were honored as Champions of the Great Outdoors. This bipartisan group spoke about what they all had in common — a commitment to the appreciation, preservation and enjoyment of the outdoors. Many also spoke about their passion for supporting ways for families — and especially children — to get outside and enjoy nature. The American Camp Association was pleased to be one of the sponsors of the event.
Are your elected leaders Champions of the Great Outdoors? Here's the list of honorees:
- Senator Lamar Alexander, R, TN (pictured right)
- Senator Max Baucus, D, MT
- Senator Michael Bennet, D, CO
- Senator Jeff Bingaman, D, NM
- Senator Barbara Boxer, D, CA
- Senator Richard Burr, R, NC
- Senator Susan Collins, R, ME
- Senator Maria Cantwell, D, WA
- Senator Dianne Feinstein, D, CA
- Senator Joseph Lieberman, I, CT
- Senator Patty Murray, D, WA
- Senator Jack Reed, D, RI
- Senator Harry Reid, D, NV
- Senator Jay Rockefeller, D, WV
- Senator Jean Shaheen, D, NH
- Senator Olympia Snowe, R, ME
- Senator Jon Tester, D, MT
- Senator Mark Udall, D, CO
- Senator Ron Wyden, D, OR
- Congressman Charles Bass, R, NH-2
- Congressman Earl Blumenauer, D, OR-3
- Congresswoman Judy Chu, D, CA-32
- Congressman Charlie Dent, R, PA-15
- Congressman Norm Dicks, D, WA-6
- Congressman Bob Dold, R, IL-10
- Congressman Sam Farr, D, CA-17
- Congressman Mike Fitzpatrick, R, PA-8 (pictured right)
- Congressman Rodney Frelinghuysen, R, NJ-11
- Congressman John Garamendi, D, CA-10
- Congressman Raul Grijalva, D, AZ-7
- Congresswoman Nan Hayworth, R, NY-19
- Congressman Martin Heinrich, D, NM-1
- Congressman Maurice Hinchey, D, NY-22
- Congressman Dale Kildee, D, MI-5
- Congressman Ron Kind, D, WI-3
- Congressman Rick Larsen, D, WA-2
- Congressman Steve LaTourette, R, OH-14
- Congressman Ben Ray Lujan, D, NM-3
- Congressman Frank LoBiondo, R, NJ-2
- Congressman Edward Markey, D, MA-7
- Congresswoman Betty McCollum, D, MN-4
- Congressman Mike Michaud, D, ME-2 (pictured right)
- Congressman Chris Murphy, D, CT-5
- Congressman Jim Moran, D, VA-8
- Congressman John Olver, D, MA-1
- Congressman Tom Petri, R, WI-6
- Congressman Jared Polis, D, CO-2
- Congressman Nick Rahall, D, WV-3
- Congressman Dave Reichert, R, WA-8
- Congressman John Sarbanes, D, MD-3
- Congressman Mike Simpson, R, ID-2
- Congressman Mike Thompson, R, CA-1
- Congressman Rob Wittman, R, VA-1
Find Out More About How You Can Connect Children and Nature
- Healthy Kids Outdoors Act [2]
- Children and Nature State-level Resources [3]
- Resources for Connecting Children with Nature [4]