In New Letter, Chair Grijalva and Subcommittee Chair TJ Cox Request Calendars, Schedule Information From Acting Interior Secretary Bernhardt

Washington, D.C. – Chair Raúl M. Grijalva (D-Ariz.) and Rep. TJ Cox (D-Calif.), chair of the Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations, sent a letter to Acting Interior Secretary David Bernhardt late yesterday requesting calendars prepared by him or on his behalf after July 24, 2017. The letter, which also requests any Meeting Proposal Information Forms submitted to his office after July 4, 2017, is available at http://bit.ly/2RLtZus.

The lawmakers emphasize their concern that Bernhardt’s publicly available schedules have recently been even less forthcoming with information – including the subject of meetings and who attended them – than former Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke’s calendars, which generated controversy after Zinke failed to fully disclose a meeting with the chairman of Halliburton and a Montana land developer that he held in his secretarial office.

"The American people deserve a government that is transparent and accountable to them, not special interests and Washington insiders," Cox said today. "As Chairman of the SUbcommittee on Oversight and Investigations, I'm committed to exercising aggressive oversight to ensure that the Acting Secretary provide the requested documents and be forthoming with Congress and the public. We must ensure that policy decisions being made at DOI are in line with those of the people and our communities."

The lawmakers give Bernhardt until Feb. 21 to respond. Bernhardt is expected to face Senate confirmation hearings soon on his nomination to succeed Zinke as Interior secretary.

Press Contact

Adam Sarvana, Grijalva

(202) 225-6065 or (202) 578-6626 mobile

Andrew Godinich, Cox

(713) 819-2675

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