It is time for a fresh, bipartisan review of outdoor recreation policy in this country to close a circle begun 25 years ago. In 1958, Congress created the Outdoor Recreation Resources Review Commission (ORRRC) to study the nation's outdoor recreation needs. The ORRRC was composed of four members of the Senate, two from each party, and four members of the House, again, two from each party. President Eisenhower appointed seven public members, including ORRRC's chairman, Laurance S. Rockefeller.

The Commission submitted its report to President Kennedy in January 1962. That marked the beginning of a new era in outdoor recreation in America. The Commission found that there were serious shortages in the nation's supply of outdoor recreation, particularly near metropolitan areas, and recommended corrective action.