Press Releases
On Inflation Reduction Act Anniversary, Grijalva Celebrates Committee Democrats’ Climate Wins, Highlights New Microsite & Map
Washington, D.C. - Today, on the second anniversary of the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), U.S. House Natural Resources Committee Ranking Member Raúl M. Grijalva (D-Ariz.) released the following statement celebrating the historic climate wins that Committee Democrats secured in the IRA, as well as the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA). “Two years ago, the Inflation Reduction Act made history by being the largest ever investment in climate and clean energy. Today, the Biden-Harris… Continue Reading
08.09.24
Grijalva Reacts to Chair Westerman’s Unilateral Issuance of Subpoena
WASHINGTON - U.S. House Natural Resources Committee Ranking Member Raúl M. Grijalva (D-Ariz.) today issued the following statement on Chair Bruce Westerman’s (R-Ark.) unilateral issuance of a subpoena to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) for documents related to his investigation into Floyd Bennett Field, which has yet to uncover any evidence of wrongdoing. The subpoena is the first in the Committee’s history to be issued without a vote. “The fact that I found out about the Chairma… Continue Reading
08.06.24
New Gov Watchdog Report Finds Wildlife Trafficking Prevention Efforts at Risk for Human Rights Abuses
WASHINGTON - Today, the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) released a new report entitled, WILDLIFE TRAFFICKING: Agencies Should Improve Efforts to Protect Human Rights in Overseas Activities, which found inadequacies and inconsistencies in federal agencies’ efforts to safeguard against human rights abuses in wildlife trafficking prevention initiatives. The report responds to a bipartisan request from U.S. House Natural Resources Committee Ranking Member Raúl M. Grijalva (D-Ariz.) and C… Continue Reading
08.02.24
Grijalva Introduces Bill to Establish New Great Bend of the Gila National Monument in Southern Arizona
WASHINGTON - House Natural Resources Committee Ranking Member Raúl M. Grijalva (D-Ariz.) today introduced the Great Bend of the Gila National Monument Establishment Act to protect one of the most culturally significant and ecologically fragile landscapes in the southwestern United States. The bill will designate the nearly 400,000-acre Great Bend of the Gila National Monument and establish a tribal commission to prioritize tribal co-stewardship of our public lands. At least 13 federally recogniz… Continue Reading
08.01.24
New Analysis: Project 2025 Already Alive and Well in Natural Resources Committee
WASHINGTON - Today, U.S. House Natural Resources Committee Democratic staff, in collaboration with the Stop Project 2025 Task Force, released a new analysis highlighting Natural Resources Republicans’ actions in the 118th Congress that mirror specific provisions of Trump’s Project 2025, the extreme right-wing agenda authored by the former president’s associates. As the analysis shows, the Republican majority has pushed legislation, held hearings, and invited witnesses on 14 separate occasions t… Continue Reading
07.29.24
Ranking Member Stansbury, House Democrats Discuss Climate Justice with Expert Panelists at Roundtable
WASHINGTON - Today, U.S. House Natural Resources Committee Oversight and Investigations Subcommittee Ranking Member Melanie Stansbury (D-N.M.) hosted a roundtable discussion with nationally-recognized changemakers titled, “Climate Justice: Community Perspectives and Where We Go from Here.” Rep. Kathy Castor (D-Fla.) and Rep. Debbie Dingell (D-Mich.) also joined the roundtable. WATCH the recorded livestream of the roundtable. “Let me be clear: the climate crisis is happening now — not in five… Continue Reading
07.25.24
Grijalva Reacts to Manchin-Barrasso Pro-Polluter Permitting Bill
WASHINGTON - U.S. House Natural Resources Committee Ranking Member Raúl M. Grijalva (D-Ariz.) today issued the following statement on the Energy Permitting Reform Act, introduced by Senators Joe Manchin (I-W.Va.) and John Barrasso (R-Wyo.) this week. “I’ve said it enough times, but it clearly bears repeating that checking off wish lists for oil, gas, and mining companies is not permitting reform,” said Ranking Member Grijalva. “From opening major expanses of our public lands and waters for dril… Continue Reading
07.17.24
Grijalva Celebrates Installation of First Rooftop Solar Panels from Puerto Rico Energy Resilience Fund
WASHINGTON - U.S. House Natural Resources Committee Ranking Member Raúl M. Grijalva (D-Ariz.) today issued the following statement during U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Secretary Jennifer Granholm’s trip to Puerto Rico in which she announced installation of the first rooftop solar and battery systems funded by the Puerto Rico Energy Resilience Fund (PR-ERF). The PR-ERF was established through funding secured by Ranking Member Grijalva with strong support of Reps. Nydia M. Velázquez (D-N.Y.) and… Continue Reading
07.10.24
New Government Watchdog Report Finds Major Gaps in Efforts to Monitor and Reduce Bycatch Across U.S. Fisheries
WASHINGTON - Today, the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) released a new report entitled, Federal Fisheries Management: Efforts to Reduce and Monitor Unintentional Catch and Harm Need Better Tracking, which found that federal efforts to monitor and reduce the unintentional catch or other harm to marine species, also called bycatch, in U.S. fisheries are lacking. The report was requested by U.S. House Natural Resources Committee Ranking Member Raúl M. Grijalva (D-Ariz.). On release of … Continue Reading
07.09.24
In New GAO Request, Grijalva Highlights Need for Climate Action to Include Cultural Resource Protection
WASHINGTON - U.S. House Natural Resources Committee Ranking Member Raúl M. Grijalva (D-Ariz.) today sent a letter to the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) requesting an examination of the National Park Service’s (NPS) actions to protect cultural resources as the agency implements climate change adaptation and mitigation efforts. NPS is the lead federal agency charged with preserving the country’s diverse cultural heritage. In his letter, Ranking Member Grijalva points out how climate … Continue Reading
07.09.24
Grijalva, Huffman Commend Biden Administration Action to Hold Seafood Industry Accountable for Forced Labor
WASHINGTON - Ranking Member Raúl M. Grijalva (D-Ariz.) and Water, Wildlife and Fisheries Subcommittee Ranking Member Jared Huffman (D-Calif.) today issued the following joint statement on the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s new action to add seafood to the list of high priority sectors for enforcement under the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act. “Thanks to groundbreaking reporting from the Outlaw Ocean Project, we know that human rights violations, including forced labor, are running ra… Continue Reading
07.09.24
Committee Democrats Launch Probe of Colluding Oil Companies’ Use of Public Lands and Resources
WASHINGTON - Today, 12 House Natural Resources Committee Democrats, led by Ranking Member Raúl M. Grijalva (D-Ariz.), sent a letter to the U.S. Department of the Interior (DOI) requesting information about Pioneer Natural Resources (Pioneer) and seven other oil companies implicated in a class action lawsuit alleging market manipulation with global oil cartel, Organization of Petroleum Exporting Companies (OPEC). The companies all hold oil and gas leases on our public lands, public waters, or bot… Continue Reading
07.08.24
Grijalva Introduces Bill to Resolve Tribal Water Rights Settlements, Bring Clean Water to Indian Country
WASHINGTON - House Natural Resources Committee Ranking Member Raúl M. Grijalva (D-Ariz.) today introduced H.R. 8937, to help bring safe, clean, reliable water and water infrastructure to Indian Country by establishing two new subaccounts in the Indian Water Rights Settlement Completion Fund. H.R. 8937: BILL TEXT | FACT SHEET “Access to safe, clean water in this country should not be a luxury — it is essential to life, and it is a right,” said Ranking Member Grijalva. “But a long line of broken… Continue Reading
07.02.24
Grijalva Statement on Denial of Parole for Indigenous Activist Leonard Peltier
WASHINGTON - House Natural Resources Committee Ranking Member Raúl M. Grijalva (D-Ariz.) today issued the following statement on the U.S. Parole Commission’s decision to deny parole for renowned Native American activist Leonard Peltier on humanitarian grounds: “The Commission had the opportunity to take a small step toward rectifying a decades-long injustice against Mr. Peltier, but incomprehensibly, they have opted against it. I extend my deepest condolences to him, his family, and his loved o… Continue Reading
06.28.24
Grijalva, Case, House Democrats Urge President Biden to Support Pause on Deep-Sea Mining
WASHINGTON- Today, U.S. House Natural Resources Committee Ranking Member Raúl M. Grijalva (D-Ariz.) and Rep. Ed Case (D-Hawaii) led a letter signed by a dozen House Democrats urging President Biden to support a moratorium on deep-seabed mining until there is sufficient scientific information on its potential environmental, social, and economic impacts. In their letter, the lawmakers highlight the importance of this fragile ecosystem, saying, “The deep sea is crucial in climate regulation and ca… Continue Reading
06.28.24
Grijalva Statement on SCOTUS Decision to Eliminate Chevron Deference, Do Bidding of Industry Billionaires
WASHINGTON - House Natural Resources Committee Ranking Member Raúl M. Grijalva (D-Ariz.) today issued the following statement on today’s ruling by the U.S. Supreme Court (SCOTUS), to eliminate Chevron deference. The decision fulfills a longstanding policy goal of polluting and otherwise harmful industries that has been championed by industry billionaire Charles Koch. “Today’s decision is a massive gift from the Court’s extreme, right-wing majority to themselves and to polluters, the Koch brothe… Continue Reading
06.28.24
Grijalva Celebrates Final Ambler Road Decision, Calls for Rejection of Harmful Senate Defense Bill Language
WASHINGTON - House Natural Resources Committee Ranking Member Raúl M. Grijalva (D-Ariz.) today issued the following statement on the U.S. Department of the Interior’s final Record of Decision to reject the proposed Ambler Road project, an industrial mining road that would have been constructed through 211 miles of the Brooks Range and Gates of the Arctic National Preserve. “Today’s final decision reflects the voices of the many Alaska Native communities who took a firm stand against the impen… Continue Reading
06.25.24
Ranking Members Grijalva, McGovern and Rep. Vasquez Seek to Understand Barriers to Head Start Enrollment for Native Children
WASHINGTON - U.S. House Natural Resources Committee Ranking Member Raúl M. Grijalva (D-Ariz.), Rules Committee Ranking Member James P. McGovern (D-Mass.), and Rep. Gabe Vasquez (D-N.M.) today sent a letter to the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) requesting an assessment of the challenges — and federal efforts to address those challenges — that American Indian/Alaska Native (AI/AN) children face to enrolling in Head Start early childhood education programs. In their letter, the lawmak… Continue Reading
06.14.24
Ranking Members Grijalva, Pallone Urge Agencies to Increase Tribes’ Access to Environmental Justice Funding & Resources
WASHINGTON - Washington, D.C. - U.S. House Natural Resources Committee Ranking Member Raúl M. Grijalva (D-Ariz.) today sent letters to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), and Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) urging them to improve tribes’ access to federal funding and programs through Justice40, the Biden administration’s environmental justice initiative. Energy and Commerce Committee Ranking Member Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-N.J.) joined Rankin… Continue Reading
06.11.24
Grijalva Calls on Chair Westerman to End Committee Republicans’ Dangerous Anti-Immigrant Rhetoric, Conspiracy Theories
WASHINGTON - Ahead of the House Natural Resources Committee’s sixth immigration-related hearing this Thursday, Ranking Member Raúl M. Grijalva (D-Ariz.) today sent a letter to Chair Bruce Westerman (R-Ark.) urging him to denounce the use of anti-immigrant disinformation, dangerous “invasion” and Great Replacement conspiracy theory language, and other white nationalist rhetoric in Committee work. In his letter, Ranking Member Grijalva outlines several incidents of Committee Republicans using bla… Continue Reading