NRDems Forum: Countering Extremism on America’s Public Lands
A recent report by the Center for American Progress found that since 2014, anti-government militants have led five armed takeovers of national public lands. In a survey released last year, state and local law enforcement agencies placed anti-government extremism as one of the top three terrorist threats in their jurisdictions. According to the Southern Poverty Law Center, anti-government groups grew by one third in 2015.
At the height of the Malheur takeover in Oregon earlier this year, House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.), House Democratic Whip Steny Hoyer (D-Md.) and 20 other Democrats signed Grijalva’s resolution urging the armed militia members in Oregon to leave the refuge and surrender peacefully to law enforcement officials. Since the 41-day takeover came to an end on February 11, 2016, House Republicans have refused to take congressional action to condemn the takeover or its perpetrators. House Natural Resources Committee Democrats have asked for an oversight hearing on the takeover, but Chairman Rob Bishop (R-Utah) has refused to acknowledge their request.
Media Coverage
- USA Today: You can't handle the truth about terror: Column (6/21)
- Climate Progress: After Republicans Refuse, Democrats Hold Their Own Hearing On The Oregon Wildlife Refuge Takeover (6/18)
- Environment and Energy Daily: Democrats blast GOP inaction against extremists (6/16)
- The Washington Post: House Dems examine right-wing domestic terrorism; hit GOP for not combating ‘growing threat’ (6/16)
- High Country News: Arizona Rep. Grijalva targets extremism on public lands (6/16)
- Environment and Energy Daily: House Dems to host forum on extremism (6/13)
Member Statements
- Raúl M. Grijalva
Democrat
(Arizona)
- Adobe Acrobat Document Grijalva's Opening Statement
Witnesses
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Richard Cohen
PresidentSouthern Poverty Law Center
- Adobe Acrobat DocumentCohen Testimony
-
Garett Reppenhagen
Rocky Mountain DirectorVet Voice Foundation
- Adobe Acrobat DocumentReppenhagen Testimony
-
David Jenkins
PresidentConservatives for Responsible Stewardship
- Adobe Acrobat DocumentJenkins Testimony
-
Tim Blount
Executive DirectorFriends of Malheur National Wildlife Refuge
- Adobe Acrobat DocumentBlount Testimony
-
J. J. MacNab
Center for Cyber and Homeland Security at The George Washington University
- Adobe Acrobat DocumentMacNab Testimony
Related Files
- Adobe Acrobat DocumentStatement from Center for Western Priorities.pdf
- Adobe Acrobat DocumentStatement from David J. Hayes - Former Deputy Secretary, U.S. Department....pdf
- Adobe Acrobat DocumentStatement from Defenders of Wildlife.pdf
- Adobe Acrobat DocumentStatement from Herbert Paul Gray.pdf
- Adobe Acrobat DocumentStatement from the Center for American Progress.pdf
- Adobe Acrobat DocumentStatement from the Center for Biological Diversity.pdf
- Adobe Acrobat DocumentStatement from the Latino Conservation Alliance.pdf
- Adobe Acrobat DocumentStatement from the Montana Wildlife Federation.pdf
- Adobe Acrobat DocumentStatement from the National Trust for Historic Preservation.pdf
- Adobe Acrobat DocumentStatement from the National Wildlife Federation.pdf
- Adobe Acrobat DocumentStatement from the New Mexico Wilderness Alliance.pdf
- Adobe Acrobat DocumentStatement from the New Mexico Wildlife Federation.pdf
- Adobe Acrobat DocumentStatement from 32 Senior Federal Land Management Agency Employees and Le...1.pdf
- Adobe Acrobat DocumentStatement from the National Wildlife Refuge Association.pdf
- Adobe Acrobat DocumentStatement from Gary Ivey, President of Friends of Malheur National Wildlife Refuge.pdf
- Adobe Acrobat DocumentStatement from Friends of the National Conservation Training Center .pdf
- Adobe Acrobat DocumentStatement from Chris Gardner.pdf