Lewis and Clark vs. Dingell Act

The John D. Dingell, Jr. Conservation, Management, and Recreation Act—formerly named the Natural Resources Management Act—is comprised of a package of 100 provisions regarding management and conservation of natural resources on federal lands.

Named after John D. Dingell, Jr., who served 59 years in Congress and passed away Feb. 7, 2019,  the Act includes the legislative wording of The Eastern Legacy Extension Act that had been introduced early this year in Congress.

The Eastern Legacy Extension Act called for the Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail to extend another 1,200 miles from Pittsburgh, Pa., to Wood River, Ill., near St. Louis, Mo. With the additional miles, the historic trail now goes 4,900 miles from Pittsburgh to the mouth of the Columbia River in Oregon.

The Senate and House of Representatives passed the bipartisan Act by wide margins. On Feb. 12, 2019, the Senate voted 92 to 8 in favor of the act. On February 26, the House approved the act by a vote of 363 to 62. The president signed the Act into law on March 12, 2019.