A bipartisan group of four U.S. Senators recently introduced a bill that would provide $10 million in state grants to finance outdoor recreational activities for veterans to help them reintegrate into the community after leaving the military.
Senators Kevin Cramer (R-ND), Maggie Hassan (D-NH), John Boozman (R-AR), and Elissa Slotkin (D-MI) proposed the Veterans Outdoor Rehabilitation Act, which would create a federal grant program for state veterans’ agencies to develop or expand outdoor recreational opportunities for veterans.
The effort comes after the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) released its 2025 National Veteran Suicide Prevention Annual Report, highlighting persistent struggles with anxiety, depression, and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) among former service members.
“Let’s face it, for a lot of veterans, healing doesn’t happen in a doctor’s office,” said Cramer, who referenced Theodore Roosevelt using the outdoors as a way to work through pain and find peace in his life.
“One of our nation’s greatest veterans and, of course, eventually the Commander in Chief, the President, Theodore Roosevelt, escaped to North Dakota’s badlands after the death of his wife and mother on the same day. After that inexplicable great grief, he credits North Dakota’s outdoors as the place where the romance of his life began,” Cramer said. “Sometimes healing begins in places like a quiet trail, by the water, or under an open sky. Our bill helps state veterans’ agencies expand outdoor recreation opportunities, so that more of the men and women who served our country can find their healing, hope, and a sense of calm in the outdoors once again, much like Theodore Roosevelt did.”
Under the proposal, the state could run programs directly or partner with local outfitters and recreation providers to offer nature-based activities. Every state that applies would get a minimum of $200,000 to deliver services for veterans.
The program is designed to let states tailor programs to the interests and physical abilities of the veterans in their communities. States are responsible for collecting and reporting data on participation and impacts on mental health and overall well-being.
“Veterans often find comfort and healing in the great outdoors, so helping increase their opportunities for healthy rehabilitation in those settings is important,” said Boozman. “Our former service members in Arkansas and nationwide, struggling with anxiety, depression, and the effects of PTSD, will benefit from this commonsense, bipartisan solution that taps into their love for outdoor recreation through programs close to where they are.”
According to the most recent data by the VA, PTSD is more common in veterans than in civilians, and at some point in their lives, seven out of every 100 veterans will have PTSD.
The effort of this program builds on progress made through the Veterans COMPACT Act of 2020, which established a task force to provide recommendations regarding the benefits of outdoor recreation activities for veterans and the use of federal lands to support these activities.
The Veterans Outdoor Rehabilitation Act is supported by the North Dakota Department of Veterans Affairs, American Legion, Veterans Outdoor Advocacy Group, the Action Foundation, Veterans of Foreign Wars, the National Association of State Park Directors, and the Action Foundation.
“Veterans continue processing the experiences of their service long after their military career ends,” said Ben Davis, a Navy SEAL veteran and Executive Director of the Veterans’ Outdoor Advocacy Group. “With millions of Americans transitioning from more than two decades of conflict, that work is happening across the country right now. Studies increasingly show that time spent in the outdoors can improve well-being, strengthen community, and support veterans as they move forward in civilian life. Expanding access to structured outdoor recreation ensures more veterans have the opportunity to benefit from those experiences.”
