Press Releases
Chair Grijalva Blasts Fish and Wildlife Service Finding that Pesticide Malathion Does Not Jeopardize Endangered Species
Washington, D.C. - Chair Raúl M. Grijalva (D-Ariz.) today expressed disappointment in the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's (FWS) newly released final biological opinion, which determined that malathion-a dangerous and likely carcinogenic pesticide linked to developmental disorders in children-does not jeopardize a single endangered species. The new findings starkly contradict the draft biological opinion on malathion released in April 2021, which concluded that ongoing use of the pest… Continue Reading
03.08.22
Chair Grijalva Applauds Biden Administration for Banning Russian Oil & Gas
Washington, D.C. - Chair Raúl M. Grijalva (D-Ariz.) today issued a statement applauding President Biden's action to ban imports of Russian oil and gas. "I applaud President Biden's action to ban Russian oil and gas in the United States, and the increased measures to further sanction Putin and his oligarchic henchman. We cannot continue to leave the American people susceptible to an unsustainable energy source dictated by foreign conflicts and held to the whim of oil and gas corporate gia… Continue Reading
03.04.22
ICYMI: Chair Grijalva Blasts Fossil Fuel Industry for Shameless Propaganda Following Putin’s Violent Attack on Ukraine
Washington, D.C. - Chair Raúl M. Grijalva (D-Ariz.) today published an opinion piece in The Guardian sharply criticizing the fossil fuel industry for its blatant opportunism following Vladimir Putin's catastrophic, deadly invasion of Ukraine. Mere days after the attack, industry rhetoric advocating for more oil and gas leasing and drilling on U.S. public lands and waters soon inundated social media and opinion pieces under the false pretenses of asserting "energy independence." "Our top … Continue Reading
03.03.22
Natural Resources Committee to Hold First Congressional Hearing Examining Tribal Co-Management of Public Lands
Washington, D.C. - Chair Raúl M. Grijalva (D-Ariz.) will convene the full Natural Resources Committee for an oversight hearing titled, "Examining the History of Federal Lands and the Development of Tribal Co-Management" on March 8 at 10:00 a.m. Eastern time. The livestream of the hearing can be viewed here. The hearing will be the first in congressional history to examine tribal land dispossession enacted by the U.S. government and the impact of dispossession on federal land management p… Continue Reading
03.01.22
Chair Grijalva Praises Biden Administration for Accepting Gulf of Mexico Oil and Gas Lease Sale Court Decision
Washington, D.C. - Chair Raúl M. Grijalva (D-Ariz.) today issued the following statement on the U.S. Department of Justice's announcement that it will not appeal the Jan. 27 federal court decision to strike down Lease Sale 257, the U.S. Department of the Interior's 80-million-acre lease sale held in the Gulf of Mexico on Nov. 17. In the January ruling, the U.S. District Court judge eviscerated the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management's environmental assessment for the sale, criticizing it fo… Continue Reading
03.01.22
Chair Grijalva Applauds White House Decision to Increase Federal Disaster Funding for Puerto Rico
Washington, D.C. - Natural Resources Committee Chair Raúl M. Grijalva (D-Ariz.) today issued the following statement on President Biden's decision to authorize additional federal funding for disaster recovery in Puerto Rico. "The nearly 3.2 million U.S. citizens living in Puerto Rico have been dealt blow after blow by hurricanes, earthquakes, financial hardship, and a former president that tried to ignore all of the above," Grijalva said. "I am pleased to be working with an administratio… Continue Reading
02.25.22
Chair Grijalva Speaks with Imprisoned Indigenous Activist Leonard Peltier, Sends Updated Clemency Request to President Biden
Tucson, Ariz. - Chair Raúl M. Grijalva (D-Ariz.) on Feb. 17 spoke over the phone with imprisoned American Indian Movement (AIM) activist Leonard Peltier, who is currently being held at the Coleman Federal Correctional Complex in Coleman, Fla., to inquire about his health and current clemency status. Mr. Peltier tested positive for COVID-19 on Jan.28, complicating existing underlying health conditions for the 77-year-old. Peltier, a member of the Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa Indians,… Continue Reading
02.22.22
Chair Grijalva Cheers $1.7 Billion for Tribal Water Rights Settlements, Visits Gila River Indian Community with Interior Sec. Haaland
Tucson, Ariz. - Chair Raúl M. Grijalva (D-Ariz.) today issued the following statement on the U.S. Department of the Interior's announcement to invest $1.7 billion in Bipartisan Infrastructure Law funding to fulfill settlements for tribal water rights claims. Interior Secretary Deb Haaland made the announcement during a visit to southwestern Arizona to examine the effects of ongoing drought in the West. "Today's announcement is a long-awaited moment in history, and I celebrate it proudly,… Continue Reading
02.18.22
Chair Grijalva and Rules Committee Chair McGovern Examine Indigenous Food Insecurity, Request GAO Inquiry
Washington, D.C. - Chair Raúl M. Grijalva (D-Ariz.) of the House Natural Resources Committee and Chair James P. McGovern (D-Mass.) of the House Rules Committee today examined the ongoing injustice of food insecurity among Indigenous communities in the U.S. at a joint roundtable discussion titled Ending Hunger in America: Indigenous Nutrition and Food Systems. The issue prompted the lawmakers, together with Rules Committee Ranking Member Tom Cole (R-Okla.), to send an inquiry request to th… Continue Reading
02.18.22
Chair Grijalva Issues Statement on Launch of New White House Environmental Justice Screening Tool
Washington, D.C. - House Natural Resources Committee Chair Raúl M. Grijalva (D-Ariz.) today issued the following statement after the White House Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) launched the beta version of its Climate and Economic Justice Screening Tool. The tool will help define and map communities that have been subjected to environmental injustices. "I am pleased that the Biden administration is quite literally putting environmental justice communities on the map with its new … Continue Reading
02.16.22
Chair Grijalva Issues Statement on Inspector General Report that Former Secretary Zinke Used Office for Personal Gain, Lied to Ethics Officials
Washington, D.C. - Chair Raúl M. Grijalva (D-Ariz.) today issued the following statement about a report issued by the Office of Inspector General (OIG) at the U.S. Department of the Interior (DOI) finding that former DOI Secretary Ryan Zinke, in pursuing a brewery as part of a larger development near his residential property in Whitefish, Mont., violated his ethics obligations, used federal resources for personal gain, and lied to ethics officials and the media. The report was requested i… Continue Reading
02.16.22
House Natural Resources Committee Holds Hearing on Historic Environmental Justice For All Act
Washington, D.C. - The House Natural Resources Committee yesterday held a legislative hearing on H.R. 2021, the Environmental Justice For All Act. The hearing marks the culmination of a historic years-long effort by Chair Raúl M. Grijalva (D-Ariz.), Rep. A. Donald McEachin (D-Va.), and Sen. Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.) to gather and incorporate public input, both in person and through an innovative online process, into comprehensive environmental justice legislation. As Chair Grijalva emphas… Continue Reading
02.14.22
Natural Resources Committee to Hold Pivotal Legislative Hearing on Environmental Justice For All Act Tomorrow
Washington, D.C. - The House Natural Resources Committee will convene the full Committee for a legislative hearing on the Environmental Justice For All Act tomorrow, Feb. 15 at 10:00 a.m. Eastern time. The livestream of the hearing can be viewed at https://youtu.be/76buBAaCN9E. Natural Resources Committee Chair Raúl M. Grijalva (D-Ariz.) and Rep. A. Donald McEachin (D-Va.) introduced the Environmental Justice For All Act on March 18, 2021 after a years-long inclusive, transparent, and c… Continue Reading
02.14.22
Chair Grijalva Receives National Congress of American Indians’ 2022 Congressional Leadership Award
Washington, D.C. - Today, House Natural Resources Committee Chair Raúl M. Grijalva (D-Ariz.) received the 2022 Congressional Leadership Award from the National Congress of American Indians (NCAI) during the 2022 State of Indian Nations & Executive Council Winter Session. The prestigious award recognizes members of Congress who have demonstrated leadership in and are champions of issues important to tribal nations. Upon accepting the award, Grijalva said, "We're looking at an opportun… Continue Reading
02.11.22
Chair Grijalva Praises Court Decision to Restore Endangered Species Act Protections for Gray Wolf
Washington, D.C. - Chair Raúl M. Grijalva (D-Ariz.) today issued the following statement following yesterday's federal district court decision to restore federal protections under the Endangered Species Act for gray wolves in much of the lower 48 states. These protections were removed following a Trump administration decision to delist the gray wolf in late 2020, a move that was strongly criticized for lacking both scientific evidence and public support. The court decision does not resto… Continue Reading
02.10.22
Chair Grijalva Visits Oak Flat with U.S. Forest Service and San Carlos Apache Tribal Leaders
Washington, D.C. - House Natural Resources Committee Chair Raúl M. Grijalva (D-Ariz.) today accompanied the U.S. Forest Service (USFS) and San Carlos Apache tribal leaders on a visit to the Oak Flat site within Tonto National Forest. USFS conducted the site visit in conjunction with a formal tribal consultation session with the San Carlos Apache Tribe about proposed copper mining operations that would irreparably damage the sacred site. Reporters interested in speaking with Chair Grijalva… Continue Reading
02.09.22
Chair Grijalva and Sen. Hirono Introduce Bill to Promote Climate Science at the U.S. Geological Survey
Washington, D.C. – Chair Raúl M. Grijalva (D-Ariz.) and Sen. Mazie K. Hirono (D-Hawaii) today introduced the Climate Adaptation Science Centers Act, or the “CASC Act,” which permanently authorizes the U.S. Geological Survey’s (USGS) National and Regional Climate Adaptation Science Centers (CASCs). The CASCs connect scientists at USGS and other research institutions to natural and cultural resource managers who are facing the increasingly challenging impacts of climat… Continue Reading
02.09.22
Grijalva, Porter, Request Documents from Organizations Giving Awards to Climate Misinformation Campaigns
Washington, D.C. - Chair Raúl M. Grijalva (D-Ariz.) and Rep. Katie Porter (D-Calif.), chair of the Oversight and Investigations Subcommittee, sent letters today to six organizations that give out public relations awards, requesting documents on PR campaigns conducted on behalf of the oil and gas industry on the subject of climate change. In the letter, available online here, the lawmakers cite former senior Exxon Mobil lobbyist Keith McCoy, who admitted on tape that his employer had fu… Continue Reading
02.04.22
Grijalva Hails New Labor and Environmental Standards Passed in COMPETES Act
Tucson, AZ Chair Raúl M. Grijalva (D-Ariz.) issued the following statement on House passage of the COMPETES Act, which includes provisions that tackle illegal fishing and slave labor in the seafood supply chain, expand renewable energy, address the illegal wildlife trade, bolster marine science and strengthen protection of marine life on the high seas. "America's greatest strength is the promise of economic opportunity for all. This bill reinforces that promise by ensuring that today's … Continue Reading
01.27.22
Grijalva Hails Court Decision to Revoke Gulf of Mexico Oil and Gas Leases
Tucson, AZ - Chair Raúl M. Grijalva (D-Ariz.) issued the following statement following the decision by the District Court of the District of Columbia to revoke oil and gas leases in the Gulf of Mexico tonight. "These leases were a climate disaster waiting to happen. Judge Contreras is correct in finding that the law requires careful analysis of all future greenhouse gas emissions that would result from this harmful sale. This decision is a welcome chance to reset our federal fossil fuel… Continue Reading