Heinrich delivered a speech on the Senate floor earlier this month on the bipartisan Sportsmen's Act of 2015. The New Mexico Democrat introduced the bill with Republican Senator Lisa Murkowski of Alaska with the hope of enriching the experience of those who enjoy the outdoors.
Heinrich spoke about the bill’s growing bipartisan support as well as the connection Americans have with the outdoors.
The bill works to reauthorize key conservation programs, improve access to public lands, and boost the outdoor recreation economy. Heinrich says hunters and anglers alone spend more than $613 million dollars a year in New Mexico, and outdoor recreation as a whole is directly responsible for 68,000 jobs in the state.
Heinrich then told the story of hunting and backpacking in the Sangre de Cristo Mountains with his young son, saying it was an experience that many generations of New Mexicans can enjoy.
If the bill is approved by the Senate, it still has to get the green light from the Republican-controlled House before being sent to President Obama for his signature.