Press Releases
Ranking Member Grijalva Announces New Staff Director, Other Democratic Committee Staff for the 118th Congress
Washington, D.C. - House Natural Resources Committee Ranking Member Raúl M. Grijalva (D-Ariz.) today announced Lora Snyder as the new Democratic Staff Director for the 118th Congress. Snyder succeeds David Watkins, who retired from Congress after a more than 20-year tenure on the Committee. Snyder first joined the Committee in February 2018 as Professional Staff and was promoted to Staff Director for the Subcommittee on Water, Oceans, and Wildlife and later to Deputy Staff Director after … Continue Reading
01.04.23
As Wait for House Speaker Continues, Ranking Member Grijalva Celebrates End-of-Year Wins, Including More Than 100 Natural Resources Provisions Signed into Law
Washington, D.C. - While the House of Representatives awaits a successful vote on speakership, Natural Resources Committee Ranking Member Raúl M. Grijalva (D-Ariz.) highlighted the many policy wins for the Committee in the last month of the 117th Congress. Through both major bipartisan legislative packages—FY23 government funding and the National Defense Authorization Act—and standalone bills, the House passed 97 Natural Resources Committee bills and nine other provisions into law. Grijalva also… Continue Reading
12.23.22
Chair Grijalva Helps Secure Funding for Rooftop Solar for Vulnerable Households in Puerto Rico, Other Committee Wins in Government Funding Bill
Washington, D.C. - Following today's House passage of the year-end government funding omnibus bill and imminent signing into law, House Natural Resources Committee Chair Raúl M. Grijalva (D-Ariz.) today issued the following statement on inclusion of $1 billion for rooftop solar and battery storage for low-income households and households with disabilities in Puerto Rico. In October, shortly after Hurricane Fiona caused an island-wide blackout, Chair Grijalva led a 38-member letter request… Continue Reading
12.22.22
National Heritage Area Act, Two More Natural Resources Bills Pass House, Await President Biden’s Signature
Washington, D.C. - Today, the House passed the National Heritage Act (S. 1942) by a bipartisan vote of 326-95. Rep. Paul Tonko (D-N.Y.) introduced and championed the House version of the bill (H.R. 1316), which passed the House as an amendment to the bipartisan Protecting America's Wilderness and Public Lands Act last year. The National Heritage Area Act will establish a National Heritage Areas System to standardize the process for studying and establishing new National Heritage Areas. The bill… Continue Reading
12.22.22
Rep. Grijalva Elected as Top Democrat of Natural Resources Committee for 118th Congress
Washington, D.C. - Today, outgoing Chair Raúl M. Grijalva (D-Ariz.) was elected to continue his tenure as top Democrat on the House Natural Resources Committee in the position of ranking member in the 118th Congress. Prior to becoming chair when Democrats won the House majority in 2018, Chair Grijalva had served as ranking member since 2014 and had been a member of the Committee since coming to Congress in 2003. During his chairmanship, Chair Grijalva has elevated not only the profile of… Continue Reading
12.21.22
Chair Grijalva Applauds House Passage of Bill to Honor Late Rep. Young, Expected Passage of Five Tribal Bills, All to be Signed into Law
Washington, D.C. - House Natural Resources Committee Chair Raúl M. Grijalva (D-Ariz.) today issued the following statement on bipartisan House passage of the Don Young Recognition Act (S. 5066; Murkowski) and expected bipartisan House passage of five other Natural Resources tribal bills under suspension of the rules. Having already passed the Senate, all six bills will soon advance to President Biden's desk to be signed into law. On the bills' expected passage, Chair Grijalva said, "Desp… Continue Reading
12.20.22
Opinion | The Puerto Rico Status Act is a Real Opportunity
Yesterday, Chair Raúl M. Grijalva (D-Ariz.) published a new opinion piece in The Hill on the bipartisan Puerto Rico Status Act, which passed the House on Dec. 15, 2022. Last week was historic for the people of Puerto Rico. The U.S. House of Representatives passed a bill-H.R. 8393, the Puerto Rico Status Act-that could move Puerto Rico away from its current status as a U.S. territory toward a new political future. The current era for the island could finally see its long overdue end, on… Continue Reading
12.15.22
Chair Grijalva Cheers Historic Bipartisan House Passage of Puerto Rico Status Act
Washington, D.C. - House Natural Resources Committee Chair Raúl M. Grijalva (D-Ariz.) today celebrated bipartisan House passage (233-191) of H.R. 8393, the Puerto Rico Status Act, to resolve Puerto Rico's political status. Chair Grijalva introduced the bill on July 15 with original co-sponsors Small Business Committee Chair Nydia M. Velázquez (D-N.Y.), Resident Commissioner Jenniffer González-Colón (R-Puerto Rico), Rep. Darren Soto (D-Fla.), Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cor… Continue Reading
12.08.22
Chair Grijalva Cheers House Passage of Ocean Conservation and Research Provisions in National Defense Bill
Washington, D.C. – House Natural Resources Committee Chair Raúl M. Grijalva (D-Ariz.) today issued the following statement on House passage of several provisions to protect and conserve oceans, coasts, and the Great Lakes in the FY23 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). A full list of the FY23 NDAA Natural Resources Committee provisions and their respective section numbers are available here. “Climate change is not just an existential threat to our planet, our healt… Continue Reading
12.08.22
Opinion | Indigenous People Need Real Compensation for Climate Change
Chair Raúl M. Grijalva (D-Ariz.) and Dr. Michael Shank, Communications Director for the Carbon Neutral Cities Alliance and adjunct faculty at NYU's Center for Global Affairs, published a new opinion piece in Newsweek today. As climate talks wrapped up at the 27th Conference of the Parties (COP27) in Egypt this past month, the attending delegates agreed to make long-awaited history. For the first time, the United Nations adopted a pact to establish a "loss and damage" fund for developin… Continue Reading
12.08.22
Chair Grijalva, 10 California Members Send Letter Requesting Improvements to Decommissioning of Offshore Oil and Gas Equipment
Washington, D.C. - House Natural Resources Committee Chair Raúl M. Grijalva (D-Ariz.) today sent a letter signed by 10 other Members of Congress from California to the federal Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement (BSEE) and the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) outlining needed improvements to the decommissioning process for offshore oil and gas infrastructure off the California coast. Together, BOEM and BSEE are the agencies primarily responsible for managing and oversee… Continue Reading
12.06.22
Chair Grijalva Statement on Exclusion of Dirty Permitting Rider from Must-Pass Defense Bill
Washington, D.C. – House Natural Resources Committee Chair Raúl M. Grijalva (D-Ariz.) today issued the following statement on the permitting related provisions being excluded from the must-pass FY 2023 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA): “Thanks to the hard-fought persistence and vocal opposition of environmental justice communities all across the country, the Dirty Deal has finally been laid to rest,” Chair Grijalva said. “House Democrats can now close … Continue Reading
12.02.22
Chair Grijalva, Rep. Porter Seek Documents on Another Incident of Potential Bribery under the Trump Administration
Washington, D.C. - House Natural Resources Committee Chair Raúl M. Grijalva (D-Ariz.) and Oversight and Investigations Subcommittee Chair Katie Porter (D-Calif.) today sent a letter to U.S. Department of the Interior (DOI) Secretary Deb Haaland requesting documents regarding a second incident of potential bribery between senior officials in the Trump administration and real estate developer Mike Ingram. Previously, the lawmakers sent the Committee's first-ever criminal referral to the U.S… Continue Reading
11.30.22
Chair Grijalva Celebrates New Avi Kwa Ame National Monument, Actions on Tribal Consultation and Co-Management
Washington, D.C. - House Natural Resources Committee Chair Raúl M. Grijalva (D-Ariz.) today issued the following statement on President Biden's designation of the nearly 450,000-acre Avi Kwa Ame National Monument in Nevada and the administration's announcement of several new actions to support Indian Country at today's White House Tribal Nations Summit. "I want to extend thanks to President Biden for once again demonstrating that Indigenous voices have a say in this administration," Chai… Continue Reading
11.29.22
Chair Grijalva Statement on Passing of Congressman A. Donald McEachin
Washington, D.C. - House Natural Resources Committee Chair Raúl M. Grijalva(D-Ariz.) today issued the following statement on the untimely passing of Rep. A. Donald McEachin (D-Va.). Rep McEachin has served as a member of the Committee since coming to Congress in 2017. "It's with great sorrow that I join the large chorus of people mourning the loss of our colleague and dear friend, Congressman McEachin. He was a man of great faith who set the standard for kindness and compassion. His me… Continue Reading
11.21.22
Chair Grijalva Sends Letter to House Leadership, Reiterates Concerns about Dirty Permitting Rider in Must-Pass Legislation
Washington, D.C. - House Natural Resources Committee Chair Raúl M. Grijalva (D-Ariz.) today sent a letter to Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) and Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-Md.) emphasizing previously stated concerns about including permitting related provisions in must-pass legislation, namely the National Defense Authorization Act or government funding legislation. Enclosed with the letter is a copy of the Sept. 12 letter led by Chair Grijalva and signed by 76 other memb… Continue Reading
11.18.22
Chair Grijalva Cheers Biden Administration’s Funding Request for Rooftop Solar in Puerto Rico
Washington, D.C. - House Natural Resources Committee Chair Raúl M. Grijalva (D-Ariz.) today issued the following statement on the Biden administration's request to Congress for $3 billion in emergency supplemental funding to provide rooftop solar and storage for low-income households and household with persons with disabilities in Puerto Rico. The funding would be administered by the Department of Energy (DOE). "The people of Puerto Rico have been battered by natural disaster after natur… Continue Reading
11.17.22
New Government Watchdog Report: Cybersecurity of Offshore Oil and Gas Infrastructure is Inadequate, Posing Major Risks
Washington, D.C. - The U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) today released a new report, which found significant and increasing cybersecurity risks to offshore oil and gas drilling infrastructure, namely equipment operational technology. House Natural Resources Committee Chair Raúl M. Grijalva (D-Ariz.) and Energy and Mineral Resources Subcommittee Chair Alan Lowenthal (D-Calif.) requested the report in December 2021. GAO's full report is available here: https://www.gao.gov/produc… Continue Reading
11.04.22
Chair Grijalva Commends Biden Administration’s Environmental Justice Scorecard, Calls for Strong Monitoring of NEPA and Civil Rights Act Compliance
Washington, D.C. - House Natural Resources Committee Chair Raúl M. Grijalva yesterday sent a letter to the Biden administration praising their work to create an annual Environmental Justice (EJ) Scorecard and offering formal comments to guide its development. The administration announced the launch of a public comment period for the EJ Scorecard's vision, framework, and engagement plan in August. Chair Grijalva's full comments are available here. In his letter, Chair Grijalva emphasized… Continue Reading
10.19.22
Chair Grijalva Statement on SCOTUS Denial of Fitisemanu v. United States
WASHINGTON - House Natural Resources Committee Chair Raúl M. Grijalva (D-Ariz.) issued the following statement: "The Supreme Court failed in its moral and judicial responsibilities to take up Fitisemanu v. United States and overturn the racist Insular Cases," said Chair Grijalva. "Today in America, residents of the U.S. Territories continue to be treated as second-class citizens and this latest decision maintains the Plessy-era status quo of keeping them 'separate and unequal'." "While… Continue Reading