Press Releases
Grijalva: Chairman Bishop's Dismissal of Native American Antiquities as “Bull Crap” Highlights Republican “Go Extinct” Attitude
Washington, D.C. - House Natural Resources Committee Chairman Rob Bishop earlier today dismissed the historical value of Native American artifacts as a basis for establishing national monuments, as first reported by Greenwire in a story about President Obama's designation of three new national monuments: "There is nothing that Obama did today that had anything to do with an antiquity," Bishop said. "There are criteria for using the act. There is nothing Obama announced that had anything to do w… Continue Reading
07.10.15
Ranking Member Grijalva Applauds President Obama for Designating Three New National Monuments Under the Antiquities Act
This has been updated from the original version to note the correct name of Waco Mammoth National Monument. The original version incorrectly listed it as Mammoth Park National Monument. Washington, D.C. - Ranking Member Raúl M. Grijalva today applauded President Obama for establishing three new national monuments under the 1906 Antiquities Act. Obama announced the establishment of Berryessa Snow Mountain National Monument in California, Waco Mammoth National Monument in Texas and the Bas… Continue Reading
07.09.15
Grijalva Says Federal Forest Act “Part of Larger Republican Effort to Shortcut Regulations, Make it Easy for Industry to Cut Down Trees”
Washington, D.C. - Ranking Member Raúl M. Grijalva released the following statement today on H.R. 2647, the so-called Resilient Federal Forest Act, which the House passed a few minutes ago. The bill fails to fully address the Department of the Interior (DOI) and U.S. Forest Service fire budgeting problem, which has led to an especially destructive fire season this year, and severely limits National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) oversight and judicial review of major forestry decisions. … Continue Reading
07.09.15
Republican-Dominated Markup Features California Drought Bill That Weakens Endangered Species Act, Ignores Conservation Options
Washington, D.C. - Following the recently concluded Natural Resources Committee markup, Ranking Member Raúl M. Grijalva highlighted the wide-spread opposition to the Republican majority's bill - which passed on a nearly party-line vote - weakening the Endangered Species Act (ESA) and other environmental laws in the name of addressing the California drought. Rep. David Valadao (R-Calif.) introduced H.R. 2898 on June 25, and the Committee marked it up today without having held a hearing on … Continue Reading
07.08.15
Ranking Member Grijalva Calls GOP Interior Approps Amendments “Irresponsible,” Says Party “Ignores Public Opinion at Every Turn”
Washington, D.C. - Ranking Member Raúl M. Grijalva highlighted the irresponsible amendments approved earlier today by the House Republican majority to this year's Interior, Environment and Related Agencies appropriations bill. Grijalva, who also pointed to the multiple Democratic amendments the majority defeated, called the vote series "a stark reminder of how strongly some of my Republican colleagues dislike sound land management and endangered species protections." The House is expecte… Continue Reading
07.08.15
Democrats Highlight Thursday Markup’s Lack of Attention to Energy Policy, Expiring Conservation Programs, Designation Requests
Washington, D.C. - Natural Resources Committee Democrats today highlighted the narrow agenda for Thursday's full committee markup, which features a list of primarily Republican bills that ignore the need for a comprehensive national energy policy, the need to reauthorize expiring conservation and recreation programs, and multiple Democratic requests for new wilderness designations, among other critical issues. The full expected list of bills under consideration is available at the end of this pr… Continue Reading
06.30.15
Grijalva Calls FWS Rejection of Endangered Wolf Petition “Delusional,” Questions Agency’s Commitment to Gray Wolf Recovery
Washington, D.C. - Earlier today the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS), which is still considering how to proceed with its June 2013 proposed rule to eliminate Endangered Species Act (ESA) protections for the gray wolf, dismissed a petition submitted in January to downlist the species from endangered to threatened rather than remove ESA protections entirely. The dismissal rejects the best available science and ignores a March 4 letter submitted by 79 House Democrats, led by Ranking Member Ra&… Continue Reading
06.30.15
Ranking Member Grijalva Hails New Interior Department Tribal Recognition Process, Calls Republican Approach "Paternalistic and Inappropriate"
Washington, D.C. - Ranking Member Raúl M. Grijalva today hailed the newly announced Interior Department (DOI) process for formally recognizing Native American tribes. The process, announced in a rulemaking on the so-called Part 83 process for DOI to recognize a tribe at the federal level, will reduce wait times for petitioning Indian Country communities and clarify recognition procedures. The rule was prepared by DOI Assistant Secretary for Indian Affairs Kevin K. Washburn. A fact sheet … Continue Reading
06.26.15
Grijalva Reintroduces Package of Bills that Preserve, Protect and Restore Arizona Public Land, Citing Economic and Cultural Benefits
Washington, D.C. - Ranking Member Raúl M. Grijalva introduced a package of three Arizona public land bills yesterday - the Sonoran Desert Heritage Act, the Southern Arizona Public Lands Protection Act and the Santa Cruz Valley National Heritage Area Act - that mark the latest step in his ongoing efforts to preserve natural and cultural resources throughout the state. Grijalva will be in Arizona next week and available for media inquiries. The Arizona public land bill package includes: &… Continue Reading
06.26.15
Ranking Member Grijalva Will Discuss Legislative Priorities With National Congress of American Indians in Minnesota on Monday
Washington, D.C. ?-? Ranking Member Raúl M. Grijalva (D-Ariz.) will travel to St. Paul, Minn., to speak on June 29 at the National Congress of American Indians (NCAI) 2015 Mid-Year Conference about his legislative initiatives to defend tribal treaty rights; protect Native American lands, assets, and resources; ensure accountable tribal consultation by the federal government; and safeguard tribal cultural, religious and historical resources. Grijalva's visit will include a conversation wi… Continue Reading
06.25.15
Ranking Member Grijalva Highlights Democratic Priorities, Republican Failings Ahead of Interior Appropriations Votes
Washington, D.C. - Ahead of today's expected House floor debate on the Interior, Environment and Related Agencies appropriations bill, Natural Resources Committee Ranking Member Raúl M. Grijalva (D-Ariz.) highlighted Republican riders in the bill that would block the Administration's fracking and stream protection rules, undermine the Endangered Species Act, and deny climate change, all of which are likely targets for Democratic amendments. "This bill is what you get when my colleagues o… Continue Reading
06.23.15
Grijalva, Lowenthal, Polis Lead Call for Interior Secretary to Reduce Methane and Carbon Emissions on Public Lands, Increase Royalties
Washington, D.C. - House Natural Resources Committee Ranking Member Raúl M. Grijalva (D-Ariz.), Subcommittee on Energy and Mineral Resources Ranking Member Alan S. Lowenthal (D-Calif.) and Rep. Jared Polis (D-Colo.) sent a letter today with 28 colleagues to Interior Secretary Sally Jewell urging strong regulations to reduce methane emissions from public lands. By capturing more of the gas, the authors write, federal agencies could limit greenhouse gas emissions from public lands and gener… Continue Reading
06.19.15
Grijalva, Lowenthal Call for Increased Onshore Oil and Gas Royalty and Rental Rates, Stronger Civil Penalties and Bonding Standards
Washington, D.C. - Ranking Member Raúl M. Grijalva (D-Ariz.) and Energy and Mineral Resources Subcommittee Ranking Member Alan S. Lowenthal (D-Calif.) today sent a letter to the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) urging increased royalty rates for onshore oil and gas production. The letter, a response to the Advance Notice of Proposed Rulemaking on royalty and rental rates published April 21, also calls for updating civil penalties for lease term violations and more stringent bonding require… Continue Reading
06.18.15
Líderes Demócrata del Comité de Recursos Naturales: La Llamada del Papa para Acción Climática Transciende la Política, Debería Impulsar Cambios del Corazón
Washington, D.C. - Líderes demócratas del Comité de Recursos Naturales de la Cámara de Representantes aclamaron la publicación de la encíclica, "Laudato Si," del Papa Francisco esta mañana, un llamado a los pueblos del mundo sobre los impactos ambientales y climáticos obrados por los estilos de vida y la disminución del consumo innecesario. La encíclica, que expresa la necesidad de una gestión ambiental más con… Continue Reading
06.18.15
Democratic Nat. Resources Committee Leaders: Pope’s Call for Climate Action Transcends Politics, Should Prompt Changes of Heart
Washington, D.C. - Democratic leaders on the House Natural Resources Committee hailed Pope Francis' release this morning of his encyclical "Praise Be," a call to the world's people to consider the environmental and climate impacts of their lifestyles and reduce unnecessary consumption. The encyclical, which highlights the need for more conscientious environmental stewardship by governments, corporations and individuals around the globe, is a formal Catholic teaching document and statement of pr… Continue Reading
06.17.15
Grijalva Introduces Bipartisan Bill to Repeal Giveaway of Sacred Arizona Native American Land to Multinational Mining Conglomerates
This press release has been edited from its original text to more accurately reflect the nature and scope of tribal objections to the bill. Washington, D.C. - Ranking Member Raúl M. Grijalva today introduced the "Save Oak Flat Act," which repeals a recent congressional giveaway of sacred Native American land to a company called Resolution Copper co-owned by multinational mining conglomerates Rio Tinto and BHP Billiton. Section 3003 of the 2015 National Defense Authorization Act authoriz… Continue Reading
06.10.15
Ranking Member Grijalva: GOP Proposal to Limit Climate Standards Through Trade Agreements is “Unacceptable”
Washington, D.C. - As House Republicans prepare to pass Rep. Paul Ryan's version of the Trade Facilitation and Trade Enforcement Act ("the Customs bill"), Ranking Member Raúl M. Grijalva released the following statement today on the bill's unacceptable proposed language prohibiting any climate change regulations in new trade agreements - a measure that would limit what deals negotiated through so-called Fast Track Authority could achieve on climate issues. "Fast track trade authority is … Continue Reading
06.10.15
Grijalva Introduces Bill to Protect At-Risk Cat and Canid Species Widely Regarded as Indicators of Broader Ecosystem Stability
Washington, D.C. - Ranking Member Raúl M. Grijalva (D-Ariz.) today introduced the Rare Cats and Canids Act of 2015 (H.R. 2697), which provides conservation resources to the Department of the Interior for cat and canine species listed on the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List as threatened, vulnerable, endangered or critically endangered. The bill establishes a conservation fund to assist local wildlife management authorities and organizations that demonstrate s… Continue Reading
06.04.15
Grijalva on Mary Kendall Nomination for Interior Inspector General: “She Deserves a Swift Confirmation Untainted by Partisan Politics”
Washington, D.C. - Ranking Member Raúl M. Grijalva released the following statement on the nomination of Mary Kendall as Inspector General of the Interior Department. "Mary Kendall has served with distinction as acting inspector general even as Republicans have obstructed and criticized her office, and she deserves a swift confirmation untainted by partisan politics. Her fair, even-handed treatment of Department personnel, her honest handling of sensitive issues, and her personal integri… Continue Reading
06.04.15
Grijalva on New Study Showing No Global Warming Pause: “We Need to Acknowledge That GOP Science Denial Has Hit New Heights”
Washington, D.C. - Ranking Member Raúl M. Grijalva released the following statement on the publication of a new study by National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) researchers in the journal Science showing that, contrary to Republican claims, global warming has not slowed over the past 15 years. "The Republican Party's war on science - especially its pathological denial of climate change - risks tremendous damage to our environment, our public health and our economy. America… Continue Reading