Obama Signs Public Lands Bill

2009 — Rep. Miller attended a signing ceremony on Monday, March 30, 2009 at the White House where President Obama approved a bill to expand federal support for parks, public lands, and water resources.  Miller, who serves on the House Natural Resources Committee that originated the bill, is a strong supporter of the new law. Here’s how the Associated Press covered it today: 

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Barack Obama signed legislation Monday setting aside more than 2 million acres in nine states as protected wilderness.
Obama called the new law among the most important in decades “to protect, preserve and pass down our nation’s most treasured landscapes to future generations.”

Also in the legislation signed by Obama is a provision named for “Superman” actor Christopher Reeve that provides for paralysis research and care for persons with disabilities. At a White House ceremony, Obama said the law guarantees that Americans “will not take our forests, rivers, oceans, national parks, monuments, and wilderness areas for granted, but rather we will set them aside and guard their sanctity for everyone to share. That’s something all Americans can support.”