Washington, D.C. (Sept. 21) – President Bill Clinton today called on Congress to pass the Conservation and Reinvestment Act (CARA) before session ends. Joined at the White House by education, municipal, sports, conservation, outdoor recreation and wildlife protection leaders from across America, Clinton said that CARA is a "unique and profoundly important effort to give people at the grass-roots level in America a permanent source of funding to protect our natural resources. A chance like this comes along once in a great while."

Sen. Mary L. Landrieu, lead Senate sponsor of CARA, said the president's comments add to the momentum of the legislation. On Tuesday, Sen. Landrieu, along with a bipartisan group of senators, presented a letter to Senate leadership signed by 64 senators – a filibuster-proof majority – asking for immediate action on CARA.

"Although time remaining in the 106th Congress is short, the support for this legislation is strong. The American people want permanent and stable conservation funding, as does the House of Representatives, a majority of Senators and the President of the United States," Sen. Landrieu said. "We owe it to the American people to provide stable and permanent conservation funding that will ensure protection and restoration of our coastline, wildlife, historic treasures and parks."

CARA would create steady and reliable environmental funding by redirecting a portion of offshore oil and gas revenues to states to fully fund the Land and Water Conservation Fund's federal and state side initiatives, coastal conservation and impact assistance, wildlife conservation, historic preservation, and urban and forestry parks projects. Currently, the federal government keeps almost 100 percent of these revenues, with little returned to states and local governments to protect and conserve our natural treasures.

The House of Representatives passed CARA May 25 by a three-to-one margin. The Senate Energy Committee approved CARA in July, clearly the way for final passage this year.