Press Releases
Currently showing results related to Federal Lands
Today’s Grijalva Amendment to GOP Deregulatory Bill Would Strip Republican Language Harming Federal Land Management Agencies
Washington, D.C. - Ranking Member Raúl M. Grijalva (D-Ariz.) will offer an amendment today to strip language in H.R. 5, the Regulatory Accountability Act, that makes it much more difficult for national land management agencies to protect public resources. Formally, H.R. 5 would make all land use management plans published by the U.S. Forest Service or Bureau of Land Management (BLM) subject to an onerous economic analysis through a procedure described in the Regulatory Flexibility Act (R… Continue Reading
01.06.17
Grijalva Expresses “Profound Disappointment” With Administration Choice Not to Protect Grand Canyon Through National Monument
Washington, D.C. - Ranking Member Raúl M. Grijalva today expressed his "profound disappointment" in the Obama administration's decision not to protect the Grand Canyon area by establishing Greater Grand Canyon Heritage National Monument. The effort to create the monument - strongly backed by Native American tribes across the region - is supported by 82 percent of voters nationally and 80 percent of voters in Arizona, a rare instance of an environmental initiative transcending political ph… Continue Reading
01.03.17
Grijalva Pushes Back on GOP Proposal to Make it Even Easier to Give Away America’s Public Lands
Washington, D.C. - Ranking Member Raúl M. Grijalva (D-Ariz.) sent a notice to Democratic leadership today highlighting a significant change the Republican Conference has proposed to House rules. The new provision would help House Republicans pursue their long-stated goal of giving away National Parks, Forests, Public Lands, Wildlife Refuges and other federal areas - currently owned and used by the American people - by requiring the House to pretend such giveaways have no cost. The Congre… Continue Reading
12.28.16
Grijalva Applauds President Obama for Designating Two New National Monuments; Remains Optimistic Grand Canyon is Next
Washington, D.C. - Ranking Member Raúl M. Grijalva (D-Ariz.) praised President Obama for taking another pivotal step in cementing his environmental legacy by establishing two new national monuments that will protect Native American lands, as well as critical environmental, historical and cultural resources. Today, under the Antiquities Act of 1906, Obama designated Gold Butte in Nevada and Bears Ears in Southern Utah. The President's announcement failed to include the proposed Greater Gra… Continue Reading
10.28.16
Ranking Member Grijalva Statement on Malheur National Wildlife Refuge Trial Verdicts
Washington, D.C. - Ranking Member Raúl M. Grijalva released the following statement on yesterday's not-guilty verdicts in the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge trial. "Unlike the Bundys, I respect our system of laws, so I accept this jury verdict. That doesn't change my personal view, which is shared by most Americans, that they are dangerous extremists spouting unhinged rhetoric and should be disavowed by responsible political leaders everywhere. "The Bundys still have to answer for po… Continue Reading
08.25.16
Ranking Member Grijalva: Next Century for National Park Service Must Be About “Doing More With More,” Not Fighting for Resources
Saguaro National Park, Ariz. - Speaking before Interim Superintendent Leah McGinnis and a diverse audience at Saguaro National Park outside Tucson, Ariz., today, Ranking Member Raúl M. Grijalva highlighted the opportunities and challenges facing the National Park Service (NPS) as its celebrates its 100th anniversary and looks ahead to its next set of goals. Grijalva emphasized the need to increase NPS funding, permanently reauthorize conservation programs like the Land and Water Conservat… Continue Reading
08.24.16
Ranking Member Grijalva Applauds the Designation of Katahdin Woods and Waters National Monument in Maine
Tucson, Ariz. - Ranking Member Raúl M. Grijalva hailed today's designation of the Katahdin Woods and Waters National Monument as a success for Maine, for the country, and for the Antiquities Act, which remains one of the most important conservation tools in American history. The monument's designation comes a day ahead of the Aug. 25 Centennial marking the 100th anniversary of the National Park Service, which is expected to manage the newly created monument. "This land needs to be preser… Continue Reading
04.18.16
Grijalva, Hastings Lead Letter with 34 Democrats Urging NPS to Focus on Diversity and Inclusion
Washington, D.C. - House Natural Resources Committee Ranking Member Raúl M. Grijalva (D-Ariz.) and Congressman Alcee L. Hastings (D-Fla.) sent a letter today urging the National Park Service (NPS) to focus on diversity and inclusion as they prepare for NPS's 100th anniversary celebration. The letter comes as we commemorate National Park Week (April 16-24, 2016), the nationwide celebration of our national parks, to remind NPS Director Jon Jarvis that our park system needs to better reflect… Continue Reading
03.07.16
Natural Resources Dems Request Full Funding of LWCF in FY2017 Appropriations Bill
Washington, D.C. - In the midst of a tumultuous budget and appropriations process, Ranking Member Raúl M. Grijalva (D-Ariz.) and all 17 Democrats on the Natural Resources Committee sent a joint letter the Appropriations Committee today to urge full funding of the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) in the FY2017 Interior and Environment appropriations bill. Despite there being bipartisan support for permanent reauthorization of the Program, Republicans on the Committee declined to sig… Continue Reading
02.17.16
New Poll Reveals Arizona Voters Strongly Support the Greater Grand Canyon Heritage National Monument
Washington, D.C. - Ranking Member Raúl M. Grijalva (D-Ariz.) is participating in a media call on Thursday afternoon to discuss a new public survey showing strong support from Arizona residents for the creation of a new national monument to protect the Grand Canyon watershed and honor the region's rich Native American history and culture. Grijalva will be joined by the Grand Canyon-Associated Tribes and other supporters of the Greater Grand Canyon Heritage National Monument Act, a landmark… Continue Reading
02.12.16
Ranking Member Grijalva Hails Newly Announced National Monuments, Highlights Previous GOP Dismissals of Native American Heritage Value
Washington, D.C. - Ranking Member Raúl M. Grijalva (D-Ariz.) today applauded President Obama for designating three new national monuments in California to protect Native American artifacts and historical sites and to enhance the region's climate resiliency. The sites - Mojave Trails National Monument, Sand to Snow National Monument and Castle Mountains National Monument - each contain important links to tribal culture and history and will protect vital natural resources. In praising the … Continue Reading
02.08.16
Grijalva, Lowenthal, Tsongas Lead Letter Praising Proposed Interior Department Oil and Gas Rule, Asking for Quick Finalization
Washington, D.C. - Ranking Member Raúl M. Grijalva (D-Ariz.) and 56 fellow Members of Congress sent a letter to Interior Secretary Sally Jewell today commending her on the Department of the Interior's (DOI's) newly proposed rules for overseeing oil and gas operations on National Park Service (NPS) and Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) lands and asking the Department to finalize them as soon as possible. The letter - led by Reps. Alan Lowenthal (D-Calif.) and Niki Tsongas (D-Mass.), the ran… Continue Reading
02.05.16
Grijalva Highlights Need for National Park Funding As NPS Releases Nationwide $11.9 Billion Maintenance Backlog Estimate
Washington, D.C. - Ranking Member Raúl M. Grijalva (D-Ariz.) released the following statement on the National Park Service's (NPS) announcement today that the maintenance backlog at our national parks has reached a staggering $11.9 billion. Grijalva introduced the Centennial Act (H.R. 3556) last year to provide funding and management authority for the NPS to help the country celebrate the Service's 100th anniversary later in 2016, address the Service's maintenance backlog and further enha… Continue Reading
01.27.16
Ranking Member Grijalva on Bundy Militia Member Arrests: “Congress Should Speak Now With One Voice, Prevent Further Violence”
Washington, D.C. - Ranking Member Raúl M. Grijalva (D-Ariz.), whose Natural Resources Committee oversees the Fish and Wildlife Service and the national wildlife refuge system, released the following statement on last night's arrest of multiple militia members who had refused to leave Malheur National Wildlife Refuge. On Jan. 6 Grijalva introduced a congressional resolution (H. Res. 575) that condemned the illegal armed standoff at Malheur. The resolution was cosponsored by House Democrat… Continue Reading
01.20.16
Ranking Member Grijalva on Chairman Bishop’s Public Lands Initiative: “Public Input and Give-and-Take are Keys to Successful Deals”
Washington, D.C. - Ranking Member Raúl M. Grijalva (D-Ariz.) released the following statement on today's unveiling of Chairman Rob Bishop's "Public Lands Initiative," an attempt to redraw the map of public lands and land use regulations across the state of Utah. "My position on this effort is less important than those of the stakeholders whose lives this bill could change forever. As we've seen time and time again, sweeping public lands bills don't pass without local buy-in and genuine g… Continue Reading
01.19.16
Grijalva Highlights Years of Unaccounted Costs to Taxpayers, Urges More Accurate CBO Scores for Federal Property Trades and Sales
Washington, D.C. - Ranking Member Raúl M. Grijalva (D-Ariz.) is calling on House and Senate Budget Committee leaders to direct the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) to more accurately score the costs to taxpayers of federal land sales and trades. Bills offered in Congress that seek to conserve or protect public lands require a budgetary offset. If CBO scoring rules were changed as Grijalva is requesting, legislation to trade or give away public lands would require the same offset. They cu… Continue Reading
01.15.16
Ranking Member Grijalva Embraces Pause on Federal Coal Leasing
Washington, D.C. - Ranking Member Raúl M. Grijalva (D-Ariz.) released the following statement on the newly announced pause in federal coal leasing. "For far too long the federal coal program has been part of a war on common sense, a war on the American taxpayer's wallet, and a war on our planet. It is past time to fight back."… Continue Reading
01.07.16
Pelosi-Hoyer-Grijalva Joint Statement on House Resolution Urging Militia Members to Surrender to Law Enforcement in Oregon
Washington, D.C. - House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.), House Democratic Whip Steny Hoyer (D-Md.) and Natural Resources Committee Ranking Member Raúl M. Grijalva (D-Ariz.) released the following joint statement today on Grijalva's resolution urging the armed militia members in Oregon to end their takeover of Malheur National Wildlife Refuge and surrender peacefully to law enforcement officials. Pelosi and Hoyer cosponsored the resolution, formally designated H. Res. 575, along… Continue Reading
01.05.16
Ranking Member Grijalva Introducing Resolution Today Disapproving of Armed Refuge Takeover in Oregon – Seeking Hill Cosponsors
Washington, D.C. - Ranking Member Raúl M. Grijalva (D-Ariz.) will introduce a congressional resolution today shortly after 2:00 p.m. Eastern time condemning the illegal armed occupation of Malheur National Wildlife Refuge in Oregon. The resolution calls on the group to leave the refuge and surrender to law enforcement immediately. The language of the resolution, which will not have a formal number until after introduction, is available at http://1.usa.gov/1OKvMqx. "This is not a romantic… Continue Reading
12.11.15
Ranking Member Grijalva Thanks Forest Service for Canceling Arizona Wild Horse Roundup, Pursuing More Collaborative Approach
Washington, D.C. - Ranking Member Raúl M. Grijalva (D-Ariz.) today welcomed the news that the U.S. Forest Service is withdrawing its proposal to round up and remove a wild horse herd near Tonto National Forest in central Arizona. Tonto Supervisor Neil Bosworth announced the decision after Grijalva and most other Arizona representatives sent him a letter last week urging a more collaborative approach to herd management. "Supervisor Bosworth has done the right thing, and I look forward to … Continue Reading