By a 285-to-140 vote, U.S. House members on March 25 approved a bill that closes more than 2 million acres of public land nationwide to off-highway motorcycles, all-terrain vehicles and all other motorized vehicles, the American Motorcyclist Association (AMA) reports.
Following congressional maneuvering that breathed new life into the measure after it was defeated just a couple weeks earlier, the lawmakers approved H.R. 146, known as the Revolutionary War and War of 1812 Battlefield Acquisition Grant Program. This bill was formerly known as S. 22, the Omnibus Public Land Management Act of 2009.
Congress’ first attempt to pass this measure, S. 22, was defeated two weeks ago in the House. However, following that defeat, the Senate leadership brought H.R. 146 to the floor, inserted the language from S. 22, and passed the bill on March 19 by a vote of 77 to 20.
It then went to the House for the March 25 vote.
“The measure unreasonably bans motorized recreation on 2.1 million acres of public lands by inappropriately designating it as Wilderness,” said AMA Vice President for Government Relations Ed Moreland… Details