Ginny Roscamp, ginny.roscamp@sierraclub.org
WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Sierra Club has endorsed the Veterans Outdoor Rehabilitation Act, a bipartisan bill introduced on March 27 by Sens. Kevin Cramer (R-ND), Maggie Hassan (D-NH), John Boozman (R-AR), and Elissa Slotkin (D-MI).
The legislation is aimed at helping veterans reconnect with their community and improve their well-being through outdoor recreation. Studies show these programs are an effective tool in reducing symptoms of depression and anxiety among veterans.
The bill would create a federal grant program for state veterans’ agencies to develop or expand outdoor recreation opportunities. Under the proposal, states could run programs directly or partner with local outfitters and recreation providers, and are encouraged to coordinate with relevant federal land management agencies to utilize these spaces for the programs. Every state that applies would get a minimum of $200,000.
"In the coming days, months, and years, thousands of servicemembers will be returning to communities in need of opportunities to reckon with the realities of war. The Veterans Outdoor Rehabilitation Act will help ensure every veteran, regardless of income or location, has access to the restorative power of nature. As veterans, we know healing doesn’t always happen within four walls: it happens on trails, on the water, and in quiet moments spent outside. This legislation represents a bonafide commitment from our land management agencies to support servicemembers on the frontlines today, and veterans still facing hurdles, by removing barriers to accessing the outdoors," said Sherman Neal II, Deputy Director of the Sierra Club's Military Outdoors Program and Marine Corps veteran.
A 2025 Sierra Club report, “Roots of Resilience: Veteran Access to Nature Report Card”, revealed that at least one in five U.S. veterans lack access to nearby parks, forests, and natural spaces — despite a plethora of studies proving that access to nature improves people’s physical and mental health. The study analyzed eight major U.S. cities — Washington, D.C.; Minneapolis; Denver; Philadelphia; Detroit; Jacksonville; Las Vegas; and Atlanta — and found widespread inequities in access to nature, particularly in low-income neighborhoods and communities of color.
A 2024 Sierra Club initiative, “Outdoor Access for the Military Community”, which included a nationwide online survey and listening tour, helped guide the organization’s vision to improve outdoor recreation opportunities for veterans and the military community. The final recommendations included a call for the Department of Veterans Affairs to establish a new grant program that connects veterans to public lands by funding established and emerging outdoor access programs with a focus on reaching underserved veteran populations.
About the Sierra Club
The Sierra Club is America’s largest and most influential grassroots environmental organization, with millions of members and supporters. In addition to protecting every person's right to get outdoors and access the healing power of nature, the Sierra Club works to promote clean energy, safeguard the health of our communities, protect wildlife, and preserve our remaining wild places through grassroots activism, public education, lobbying, and legal action. For more information, visit www.sierraclub.org.