08.02.24

Grijalva Introduces Bill to Establish New Great Bend of the Gila National Monument in Southern Arizona

WASHINGTON – House Natural Resources Committee Ranking Member Raúl M. Grijalva (D-Ariz.) today introduced the Great Bend of the Gila National Monument Establishment Act to protect one of the most culturally significant and ecologically fragile landscapes in the southwestern United States. The bill will designate the nearly 400,000-acre Great Bend of the Gila National Monument and establish a tribal commission to prioritize tribal co-stewardship of our public lands. At least 13 federally recognized tribes maintain cultural and ancestral connections to the region.

Great Bend of the Gila National Monument Establishment Act: BILL TEXT | FACT SHEET | SECTION-BY-SECTION | PROPOSED MAP

“The Great Bend of the Gila is a sacred place rich with history and deeply significant to all the communities connected to it,” said Ranking Member Grijalva. “I am proud to stand alongside the tribes and honor their years of dedication to preserving the cultural, historic, and natural heritage of this magnificent landscape by introducing this legislation. The Great Bend of the Gila National Monument would expand the legacy of the Bears Ears Inter-Tribal Commission and the Baaj Nwaavjo I’tah Kukveni – Ancestral Footprints of the Grand Canyon Commission by elevating tribal perspectives in the ongoing management of this treasured landscape. Bringing tribal voices to the forefront of land management is not just a moral imperative — it is key to ensuring that our natural legacy can be protected for generations to come. I look forward to continuing to work with the coalition to advance this effort, including by exploring the possibility of an Antiquities Act designation by President Biden.”

Original cosponsors include Reps. Jared Huffman (D-Calif.), Joe Neguse (D-Colo.), Melanie Stansbury (D-N.M.), André Carson (D-Ind.), Dina Titus (D-Nev.), and Earl Blumenauer (D-Ore.).

Tribes in Support

The bill is supported by multiple tribes, including Quechan Indian Tribe, Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community, Tohono O’odham Nation, and Yavapai-Prescott Indian Tribe.

“The Tohono O’odham Nation and other tribes have deep cultural and religious connections to the Great Bend of the Gila stretching back to time immemorial. We appreciate Congressman Grijalva’s leadership in working to protect this environmental and cultural treasure. This bill also ensures that tribes continue to have a voice in the future of these lands and how they will be protected in the years to come. The Tohono O’odham Nation urges passage of this important bill that will safeguard a vital part of America’s indigenous and environmental heritage.” - Tohono O’odham Nation Chairman Verlon Jose

"The Yavapai-Prescott Indian Tribe expresses full support for the establishment of the Great Bend of the Gila National Monument in the State of Arizona. The lands included in this proposed monument area have been, and continue to be, traditionally significant areas for the Yavapai since time immemorial. "The rock writings and geoglyphs included in the proposed monument area tell of the ancient First Yavapai People, who lived and walked in these lands. They tell of sacred areas where Yavapai First Leaders' remains are located and the history of the mountains and trails that were used from the time of the first humans through the Spanish Conquest." – Yavapai-Prescott Indian Tribe

“The Great Bend represents our lives past and present. It stands a living library and monument still in existence. It contains sites that are in danger of destruction unless priority is given to preservation of the area for future generations.” – Gloria L. McGee, Ft. Yuma Tribal Council Member

“The Great Bend of the Gila River is of monumental significance to our culture. It represents a multi-cultural living museum… the historic past and present that make up our existence and who we are as Quechan people.” – Manfred Scott, Quechan Cultural Committee Chairman

READ full letters of support from Yavapai-Prescott Indian Tribe and Fort Yuma-Quechan Indian Tribe (HERE and HERE).

Organizations in Support

The bill is supported by Archaeology Southwest, Arizona Faith Network, Center for Biological Diversity, Chispa Arizona, Conservation Lands Foundation, Green Latinos, HECHO, League of Conservation Voters, National Parks Conservation Association, Sierra Club, The Conservation Alliance, and The Wilderness Society.

READ organizations’ statements of support here.

Additional Background

Known for its jagged cliffs, striking lava flows, and unique and fragile desert species, the Great Bend of the Gila is home to countless cultural, historical, archeological, and natural resources. At least 13 federally recognized tribes maintain cultural and ancestral connections to the region, spanning millennia. The area often served as a crossroads for diverse peoples and cultures who lived and cared for the lands, cultivated the landscape, and left countless petroglyphs and other forms of rock art.

The Great Bend of the Gila National Monument Establishment Act would protect the landscape from destructive development and mineral extraction to ensure the area’s rich resources are protected for future generations. The legislation also includes novel provisions to incorporate the expertise and traditional knowledge of Indigenous communities into the management of the Great Bend of the Gila region. These provisions draw from the renowned Bears Ears Inter-Tribal Commission and the Baaj Nwaavjo I’tah Kukveni – Ancestral Footprints of the Grand Canyon Commission.

The 13 federally recognized tribes with ties to the region include Ak-Chin Indian Community, Cocopah Indian Tribe, Colorado River Indian Tribes, Fort McDowell Yavapai Nation, Fort Mojave Indian Tribe, Fort Yuma-Quechan Indian Tribe, Gila River Indian Community, Hopi Tribe, Pueblo of Zuni, Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community, Tohono O’odham Nation, Yavapai-Apache Nation, and Yavapai-Prescott Indian Tribe.

Press Contact

Contact: Lindsay Gressard

202-740-4715