Press Releases
Grijalva, Haaland Sharply Question Sec. Bernhardt, BLM Director Pendley’s Choice to Drill Sacred Sites During Coronavirus Pandemic
Washington, D.C. - Natural Resources Committee Chair Raúl M. Grijalva (D-Ariz.) and Vice Chair Deb Haaland (D-N.M) today strongly criticized the Department of the Interior's (DOI) efforts to open sacred tribal lands in New Mexico to new oil and gas extraction during the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) announced last night via press release that it would not extend the public comment period for updates to the Farmington Mancos-Gallup Resource Management P… Continue Reading
04.30.20
Chair Grijalva Leads Letter to Treasury Department Pressing for Immediate Disbursement of Improperly Delayed COVID-19 Stimulus Checks in Puerto Rico
Washington, D.C. - Chair Raúl M. Grijalva (D-Ariz.) today led a bicameral letter with 15 other Democratic lawmakers pressing the Department of the Treasury and the Internal Revenue Service to disburse overdue funds to Puerto Ricans suffering from the economic effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. The lawmakers point out that Puerto Rican officials sent Treasury and the IRS a draft plan for the disbursement of stimulus checks to residents on April 8, but federal officials have yet to approve i… Continue Reading
04.29.20
Chairs Grijalva, Velázquez: PPP Loan Distribution Must be Equitable for Small Businesses in U.S. Territories
Washington, D.C. - Chair Raúl M. Grijalva (D-Ariz.) and Small Business Committee Chairwoman Nydia M. Velázquez (D-N.Y.) today sent a letter to the Department of the Treasury and Small Business Administration (SBA) on disparities in the allocation of Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans in U.S. territories. New data shows that aid is not being allocated proportionately to U.S. territories. For example, Puerto Rico, which accounts for approximately 1 percent of the population of… Continue Reading
04.23.20
Chair Grijalva on Nuclear Fuel Working Group Report: Trump Admin Wants Uranium Mining Near Grand Canyon With No Public Scrutiny
Washington, D.C. - Chair Raúl M. Grijalva (D-Ariz.) released the following statement on today's report by the Nuclear Fuels Working Group recommending radical deregulation of the uranium mining industry. "The Trump administration wants uranium mining near the Grand Canyon without even minimal public oversight, and it doesn't care about the consequences. Today's report is a roadmap for giving the uranium mining industry everything it wants without any scrutiny. If these recommendations ar… Continue Reading
04.22.20
New GAO Report Shows Oil and Gas Industry Sitting on Almost 10,000 Unused Drilling Permits, Undermining Push for New Favors From Trump
Washington, D.C. - A new Government Accountability Office (GAO) report requested by Chair Raúl M. Grijalva (D-Ariz.) and Rep. Alan Lowenthal (D-Calif.) finds that oil and gas companies were sitting on 9,950 unused permits to drill as of the end of fiscal year 2019. The report finds that the Trump administration's "energy dominance" push to grant the industry more permits - even those that drilling corporations have no intention of using in the near future - has paralyzed the Bureau of Lan… Continue Reading
04.21.20
Grijalva, McEachin Letter Urges HHS to Address Disparities in Coronavirus Outcomes for Environmental Justice Communities
Washington, D.C. - Today, Natural Resources Chair Raúl M. Grijalva (D-Ariz.) and Rep. A. Donald McEachin (D-Va.) sent a letter to U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar urging the Department and its sub-agenices to address racial health disparities in COVID-19 outcomes for environmental justice communities, and to collect comprehensive demographic data on the race and ethnicity of individuals tested and treated for the coronavirus. The letter follows emerging r… Continue Reading
04.20.20
On 10-Year Anniversary of BP Oil Spill, Chair Grijalva Issues Report Highlighting Costs of Trump Admin Deregulation, Potentially Unethical Behavior
Washington, D.C. - Chair Raúl M. Grijalva (D-Ariz.) today released a report looking at the Trump administration's regulatory failures and rollbacks in light of the 10-year anniversary of the BP oil spill disaster in the Gulf of Mexico. Among other findings, the report - available at https://bit.ly/3eCQD4U - highlights the financial, environmental, and worker safety standards the Trump administration has weakened on behalf of offshore oil drillers, despite expert advice, and reveals potent… Continue Reading
04.06.20
Following Unusual White House Meeting With Big Oil, Chair Grijalva and 15 House Democrats Urge Sec. Bernhardt to Reject Calls for Royalty Cuts
Washington, D.C. - Chair Raúl M. Grijalva (D-Ariz.) and 15 other House Democrats wrote to Interior Secretary David Bernhardt today urging him to reject Republican and fossil fuel industry calls for royalty cuts on oil and gas taken from federal lands and waters. Such a move, the authors write, would be illegal, unnecessary, and disconnected from the realities the country faces during the COVID-19 pandemic. The full letter is available at https://bit.ly/2UNdWRC. Regardless of the Trump a… Continue Reading
04.03.20
Chair Grijalva: Trump’s Meeting Today With Fossil Fuel Interests Tells the Country Everything it Needs to Know About His Priorities in a Crisis
Washington, D.C. - Chair Raúl M. Grijalva released the following statement on President Trump's meeting at the White House today with fossil fuel industry executives. "The president's choice to hold a high-profile meeting with oil and gas interests today tells the country everything it needs to know about his priorities in the middle of a crisis. He won't be meeting with any of the millions of Americans filing for unemployment. He won't be meeting with renewable energy workers. He's spen… Continue Reading
04.01.20
Chair Grijalva: Trump Admin Has No Explanation for Waiting Several Days to Close Grand Canyon National Park After Explicit Call From Health Officials
Washington, D.C. - Chair Raúl M. Grijalva today said the timeline of the Interior Department's recently announced decision to close Grand Canyon National Park to visitors - several days after a case of COVID-19 was reported near the park and five days after local health officials first pleaded for the park's closure - makes no sense and raises new questions about the Trump administration's priorities. The closure announcement, according to a press release from Interior Department spokesw… Continue Reading
04.01.20
Chair Grijalva, Rep. Sablan Write to FEMA Chief for Assurances on Virus Response in U.S. Territories in Light of Natural Disasters, Weak Finances
Washington, D.C. - Chair Raúl M. Grijalva (D-Ariz.) and Rep. Gregorio Sablan (D-CNMI) sent a letter this morning to Pete Gaynor, administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, seeking more information on the administration's COVID-19 response plans in U.S. territories, where weak economies and recent natural disasters are now putting hundreds of thousands of Americans at particular risk. In the letter, available at https://bit.ly/2xFz17z, the lawmakers ask Gaynor for a briefi… Continue Reading
03.31.20
Chair Grijalva, Rep. Haaland Lead Letter to Interior Secretary Urging Closure of Grand Canyon, Other Parks and Public Lands at Risk of Coronavirus Spread
Washington, D.C. - Chair Raúl M. Grijalva (D-Ariz.) and Vice Chair Deb Haaland (D-N.M.) sent a letter today with eight House Democratic colleagues to Interior Secretary David Bernhardt urging him to close Grand Canyon National Park and other national parks and public lands at risk of spreading coronavirus due to continued crowding and high visitation levels. The National Park Service and the Department of the Interior have left parts of Grand Canyon National Park open to visitors despite … Continue Reading
03.27.20
Chair Grijalva: National Park Service Must Close Grand Canyon National Park Immediately, Interior Dept. Must Act to Prioritize Public Health
Washington, D.C. - Chair Raúl M. Grijalva (D-Ariz.) today released the following statement on reports that National Park Service officials have blocked urgent requests from the acting superintendent of Grand Canyon National Park and from tribes around Northern Arizona to close the park until further notice. Grijalva called on Interior Secretary David Bernhardt on March 20 to "prioritize the health and safety of visitors to national parks and public lands during this crisis" - a step … Continue Reading
03.27.20
Chair Grijalva Hails Coronavirus Relief Package – Highlights Financial Assistance for Indian Country and U.S. Territories, Urges More Support in Future Bills
Washington, D.C. - Chair Raúl M. Grijalva (D-Ariz.) today said the passage of the CARES Act is a good step forward in the federal government's ongoing effort to build up health care capacity in historically underserved and at-risk communities, including Native American tribes and U.S. territories, and urged his colleagues to include further financial and logistical support for hard-hit communities in upcoming legislation. Grijalva has been a leading voice in Congress since the beginning o… Continue Reading
03.26.20
Chair Grijalva, Rep. McEachin Lead Letter From 43 House Democrats to Congressional Leaders Urging Environmental Justice Support in COVID-19 Response
Washington, D.C. - Chair Raúl M. Grijalva (D-Ariz.) and Rep. A. Donald McEachin (D-Va.) today sent a letter signed by 41 of their House Democratic colleagues to House and Senate leaders of both parties urging them, as they craft current and future COVID-19 response efforts, to account for underlying and already present health and economic disparities across the country. In the letter, available at https://bit.ly/2WSnRqF, the authors write in part: The effects of COVID-19 are being fel… Continue Reading
03.25.20
Chair Grijalva Statement on New Ruling That Army Corps of Engineers Must Conduct Substantive Environmental Review of Dakota Access Pipeline
Washington, D.C. - Chair Raúl M. Grijalva (D-Ariz.) released the following statement on the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia's new ruling that the Army Corps of Engineers must conduct a substantive environmental review of the Dakota Access pipeline. Judge James Boasberg found that the agency's previous review had several glaring shortcomings, including a failure to consider the fact that the pipeline's leak detection system was unlikely to work, that it was not designed to… Continue Reading
03.24.20
Following Administration Briefing, Chair Grijalva and House Dems Call for Congressional Relief Bill to Address Desperate Health Needs in Indian Country
Washington, D.C. - Chair Raúl M. Grijalva (D-Ariz.), Vice Chair Deb Haaland (D-N.M.) and Rep. Ruben Gallego (D-Ariz.), chair of the Subcommittee for Indigenous Peoples of the United States - all of whom received a briefing from senior Indian Health Service (IHS) officials earlier today - jointly called on Senate negotiators and House leadership this afternoon to ensure the upcoming congressional coronavirus relief bill and any future relief measures adequately address the growing health n… Continue Reading
03.20.20
Chair Grijalva, Natural Resources Committee Launch New Coronavirus Resource Center, Seek Impact Information from Indian Country
Washington, D.C. - Chair Raúl M. Grijalva (D-Ariz.) and the majority staff of the House Natural Resources Committee are seeking information from Native American communities impacted by coronavirus on the level of governmental response they've seen, the status of their health and social safety needs, and how Congress and other agencies can better serve them during the pandemic. The Committee has set up an online form available at https://bit.ly/2IZFWur and is now welcoming input from tribe… Continue Reading
03.20.20
Chair Grijalva Statement on Interior Secretary Bernhardt Encouraging Public Lands Visits During Coronavirus Pandemic
Washington, D.C. - Chair Raúl M. Grijalva (D-Ariz.) released the following statement today on Interior Secretary David Bernhardt's recent message to the American people encouraging visits to public lands during the coronavirus pandemic. "While I understand the appeal of outdoor recreation during a difficult time, Interior Secretary Bernhardt needs to prioritize the health and safety of visitors to national parks and public lands during this crisis. The Trump administration must establish… Continue Reading
03.20.20
Chair Grijalva, Rep. Cartwright Urge Congressional Leaders Not to Bail Out Coal Industry as Part of Coronavirus Response
Washington, D.C. - Chair Raúl M. Grijalva (D-Ariz.) and Rep. Matt Cartwright (D-Pa.) today wrote to Democratic and Republican leaders of the House and Senate urging them to reject the National Mining Association's (NMA) campaign for a taxpayer-funded bailout of the coal industry. In a recent letter to President Trump and congressional leaders, the NMA pressed for the suspension or reduction in coal royalties to the public, a reduction in the Abandoned Mine Land fee on coal production on f… Continue Reading