Press Releases

12.13.24

Grijalva, Sen. Schatz Lead 34 Lawmakers Urging President Biden to Pardon Native American Activist Leonard Peltier

WASHINGTON - U.S. House Natural Resources Committee Ranking Member Raúl M. Grijalva (D-Ariz.) and U.S. Senate Committee on Indian Affairs Chairman Brian Schatz (D-Hawai‘i) led a lettersigned by 34 Members of Congress to President Biden urging him to grant clemency for renowned Native American rights activist Leonard Peltier in the final weeks of his term. Mr. Peltier was convicted of murder in 1977 following a controversial investigation and trial, which many civil rights leaders and legal exper… Continue Reading


12.09.24

Grijalva Commends Designation of Carlisle Federal Indian Boarding School National Monument

WASHINGTON - U.S. House Natural Resources Committee Ranking Member Raúl M. Grijalva (D-Ariz.) today issued the following statement on President Biden’s designation of the Carlisle Federal Indian Boarding School National Monument in Pennsylvania. “Today’s designation is an important step in acknowledging and holding ourselves accountable for the country’s complete history, no matter how dark or shameful the era,” Ranking Member Grijalva said. “Native communities deserve to seek healing from the … Continue Reading


12.02.24

Ranking Member Grijalva Statement on Natural Resources Committee Position

TUCSON, ARIZ. - House Natural Resources Committee Ranking Member Raúl M. Grijalva (D-Ariz.) today issued the following statement. “After much thought, I have decided that it is the right moment to pass the torch as top Democrat on the House Natural Resource Committee for the 119th Congress. I do not make this decision lightly, as being elected Ranking Member stands as the honor of my professional career. I will continue to focus on improving my health, strengthening my mobility, and serving my … Continue Reading


11.15.24

Grijalva, Pallone Lead Letter to Biden: Permanently Protect Coastal Waters from Offshore Drilling

WASHINGTON - U.S. House Natural Resources Committee Ranking Member Raúl M. Grijalva (D-Ariz.) and U.S. House Energy and Commerce Committee Ranking Member Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-N.J.) today sent a letter to President Biden urging him to use his authority under Section 12(a) of the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act (OCSLA) to permanently withdraw unleased and at-risk areas of the Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) from fossil fuel development. Citing the economic and ecological importance of protecting … Continue Reading


10.25.24

Grijalva, Sen. Markey Lead Amicus Brief to SCOTUS Affirming NEPA’s Role in Assessing Climate Change, Environmental Justice

WASHINGTON - Today, U.S. House Natural Resources Committee Ranking Member Raúl M. Grijalva (D-Ariz.) and U.S. Senator Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.) filed an amicus brief signed by a total of 30 Members of Congress to the U.S. Supreme Court, in the case of Seven County Infrastructure Coalition v. Eagle County, Colorado. The lawmakers filed the amicus brief to support the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), which has been critical in ensuring that federal agencies consider climate change and e… Continue Reading


10.25.24

Grijalva Statement on President Biden’s Formal Apology on Indian Boarding Schools

WASHINGTON - U.S. House Natural Resources Committee Ranking Member Raúl M. Grijalva (D-Ariz.) today issued the following statement on President Biden’s issuance of a formal apology to Native Americans for the federal government’s role in Indian boarding schools. For more than 150 years, the U.S. government removed Native American children from their homes and communities, forcing them to attend boarding schools, where they were physically, sexually, and psychological abused in an effort to erase… Continue Reading


09.30.24

Grijalva Statement on Second Allegation of Big Oil Collusion with OPEC

WASHINGTON - U.S. House Natural Resources Committee Ranking Member Raúl M. Grijalva (D-Ariz.) today released the following statement on a complaint filed by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) alleging that Scott Hess, CEO of Hess Corporation, colluded with the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), to raise gas prices for American consumers. In May, the FTC filed a similar complaint alleging that Scott Sheffield, former CEO of Pioneer Natural Resources, colluded with OPEC as w… Continue Reading


09.19.24

Grijalva, Booker Introduce Bill to Permanently Protect American Bison, Grizzly Bears, and Gray Wolves

WASHINGTON - Today, U.S. House Natural Resources Committee Ranking Member Raúl M. Grijalva (D-Ariz.) and U.S. Senator Cory Booker (D-N.J.) introduced the Tribal Heritage and American Bison, Grizzly Bear, and Wolf Restoration and Coexistence Act, legislation to establish permanent federal protections for these three species and expand recovery efforts and coexistence measures. Additionally, the bill would enhance existing tribal management authorities over these species by creating oversight comm… Continue Reading


09.18.24

Kamlager-Dove, Committee Democrats Discuss Holding Big Oil Accountable with Expert Panelists at Roundtable

WASHINGTON - Today, U.S. House Natural Resources Committee Vice Ranking Member Sydney Kamlager-Dove (D-Calif.), joined by Oversight and Investigations Subcommittee Ranking Member Melanie Stansbury (D-N.M.), Water, Wildlife and Fisheries Subcommittee Ranking Member Jared Huffman (D-Calif.), Rep. Katie Porter (D-Calif.), and Rep. Seth Magaziner (D-R.I.), held a roundtable discussion with expert panelists titled, “Holding Big Oil Accountable for Extortion, Collusion, and Pollution.” WATCH the reco… Continue Reading


09.11.24

At Hearing, Subcommittee RM Huffman Blasts Republican Attacks on NEPA, Likens to Trump’s Project 2025

WASHINGTON - At today’s House Natural Resources Committee hearing on Chair Bruce Westerman’s (R-Ark.) new legislation to gut the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), H.J. Res. 168 (Graves of LA), and H.R. 6129 (Rep. Yakym), Water, Wildlife and Fisheries Subcommittee Ranking Member Jared Huffman (D-Calif.) delivered the following opening statement. Subcommittee Ranking Member Huffman Opening Statement (as delivered) Thank you, Mr. Chairman. And welcome to our witnesses. Mr. Beard, it’s esp… Continue Reading


09.09.24

Grijalva Applauds Biden-Harris Action to Notify Tribes about New Mining

WASHINGTON - U.S. House Natural Resources Committee Ranking Member Raúl M. Grijalva (D-Ariz.) today released the following statement on a new policy that requires notifying tribal governments of any new mineral exploration on public lands managed by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM). The policy aligns with recommendations from the Biden-Harris administration’s Interagency Working Group (IWG) on Mining Laws, Regulation, and Permitting, which published a report outlining its findings last year. … Continue Reading


09.06.24

Big Oil Shortchanges Taxpayers, Better Data Needed to Strengthen Enforcement, Says New Gov Watchdog Report

WASHINGTON - Today, the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) released a new report entitled, FEDERAL OIL AND GAS ROYALTIES: Opportunities Exist to Improve Interior’s Compliance Program, which was requested by U.S. House Natural Resources Committee Ranking Member Raúl M. Grijalva (D-Ariz.). The report found that the U.S. Department of the Interior’s Office of Natural Resources Revenue (ONRR) — the agency responsible for collecting royalties from oil and gas extracted on public lands and wa… Continue Reading


09.06.24

Grijalva, Carbajal Celebrate Key Milestone in Proposed Chumash Heritage National Marine Sanctuary

WASHINGTON - House Natural Resources Committee Ranking Member Raúl M. Grijalva (D-Ariz.) and Rep. Salud Carbajal (D-Calif.) today celebrated the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) release of the final Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the proposed Chumash Heritage National Marine Sanctuary, marking a key milestone in the process to officially designate the sanctuary. Once designated, the Chumash Heritage National Marine Sanctuary will play a pivotal role in conservin… Continue Reading


09.04.24

Grijalva Leads Sweeping Bipartisan Request to Eight Federal Agencies to Examine Efforts to Combat IUU Fishing

WASHINGTON - Today, U.S. House Natural Resources Committee Ranking Member Raúl M. Grijalva (D-Ariz.) led eight bipartisan letters to federal agencies requesting information regarding their efforts to combat illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing and forced labor in the U.S. and global seafood supply chain. The recipient agencies include the Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), U.S. Department of State (State), U.S. Department… Continue Reading


09.03.24

Grijalva Leads Resolution to Commemorate 60th Anniversary of Wilderness Act

Today, U.S. House Natural Resources Committee Ranking Member Raúl M. Grijalva (D-Ariz.) led House Democratic colleagues in introducing a resolution to recognize Sept. 3, 2024, as the 60th anniversary of the Wilderness Act. “With the dual, compounding crises of climate change and biodiversity, the Wilderness Act is as important today as ever,” said Ranking Member Grijalva. “The country’s vast network of wilderness areas is not just a boon for local recreation economies, it’s essential to protect… Continue Reading


08.29.24

Grijalva, Committee Democrats Make Various GAO Requests to Examine Energy Production on Public Lands

WASHINGTON - Today, U.S. House Natural Resources Committee Ranking Member Raúl M. Grijalva (D-Ariz.) and Committee Democrats sent letters to independent government watchdog, the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO), requesting three separate reports regarding energy production on public lands managed by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM). Together, these requests will help inform congressional oversight on idled and orphaned wells, oil and gas companies’ leasing practices, and geothermal… Continue Reading


08.28.24

Grijalva, Committee Democrats Request Review of Federal Wildfire Mitigation Programs

WASHINGTON - U.S. House Natural Resources Committee Ranking Member Raúl M. Grijalva (D-Ariz.) and ten Committee Democrats today sent a letter to the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) requesting an examination of the effectiveness of current wildfire mitigation programs and resources, highlighting the critical role that collaboration between federal land management agencies and at-risk communities plays in mitigating wildfire risks. In their letter, the lawmakers point to increasing wi… Continue Reading


08.16.24

On Inflation Reduction Act Anniversary, Grijalva Celebrates Committee Democrats’ Climate Wins, Highlights New Microsite & Map

Washington, D.C. - Today, on the second anniversary of the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), U.S. House Natural Resources Committee Ranking Member Raúl M. Grijalva (D-Ariz.) released the following statement celebrating the historic climate wins that Committee Democrats secured in the IRA, as well as the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA).   “Two years ago, the Inflation Reduction Act made history by being the largest ever investment in climate and clean energy. Today, the Biden-Harris… Continue Reading


08.09.24

Grijalva Reacts to Chair Westerman’s Unilateral Issuance of Subpoena

WASHINGTON - U.S. House Natural Resources Committee Ranking Member Raúl M. Grijalva (D-Ariz.) today issued the following statement on Chair Bruce Westerman’s (R-Ark.) unilateral issuance of a subpoena to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) for documents related to his investigation into Floyd Bennett Field, which has yet to uncover any evidence of wrongdoing. The subpoena is the first in the Committee’s history to be issued without a vote. “The fact that I found out about the Chairma… Continue Reading


08.06.24

New Gov Watchdog Report Finds Wildlife Trafficking Prevention Efforts at Risk for Human Rights Abuses

WASHINGTON - Today, the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) released a new report entitled, WILDLIFE TRAFFICKING: Agencies Should Improve Efforts to Protect Human Rights in Overseas Activities, which found inadequacies and inconsistencies in federal agencies’ efforts to safeguard against human rights abuses in wildlife trafficking prevention initiatives. The report responds to a bipartisan request from U.S. House Natural Resources Committee Ranking Member Raúl M. Grijalva (D-Ariz.) and C… Continue Reading

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