Washington, D.C. - Today, after continuous pressure from members of the Western Caucus, Secretary of the Interior Sally Jewell has dissolved the National Blueways System created by the controversial Secretarial Order 3321. The Secretary’s action also dissolves the National Blueways Committee, which was composed entirely of federal officials and which claimed the authority to unilaterally designate entire river watersheds as “National Blueways.” These designations held the potential to expand the reach of the federal government over non-navigable waters currently under state jurisdiction. Read more »
Washington, D.C. (December 10, 2013) – On Monday, the Obama Administration published a rule in the Federal Register that gives wind farms an unlimited 30-year “take permit” to accidentally kill or injure bald and golden eagles. Congressman Steve Pearce, Chairman of the Congressional Western Caucus, responded to the rule with the following statement: Read more »
Washington, D.C. (November 21, 2013) – Yesterday, state wildlife management officials presented members of the Congressional Western Caucus with a strong plan to ensure the conservation of lesser prairie-chicken habitat. Both parties committed to continue the dialog and work together to find innovative solutions that benefit the species and ensure economic opportunity. Read more »
Washington, D.C. (November 20, 2013) – This evening, the U.S. House of Representatives passed H.R. 2728, the Protecting States’ Rights to Promote American Energy Security Act with a bipartisan vote of 235-187. This legislation maintains states as the primary regulator of hydraulic fracturing, a practice that has been successful since the 1940s. Read more »
WASHINGTON, D.C. –Today, Senate Western Caucus Chairman John Barrasso (R-WY) and Congressional Western Caucus co-chairs Stevan Pearce (R-NM) and Cynthia Lummis (R-WY) joined 27 other Caucus Members in calling on the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to stop circumventing Congress in an effort to implement job-crushing policies that would essentially take over non-federal water in the United States. Read more »
Washington, D.C. (October 9, 2013) – Following the Administration’s pick-and-choose approach to managing national monuments during the government shutdown, thirteen members of the Congressional Western Caucus sent a letter to National Park Service (NPS) Director Jonathan Jarvis requesting the criteria, if any, that is being used to determine who is allowed to exercise their right to free speech and who is not. Read more »
Washington, D.C. (October 8, 2013) – The National Park Service has granted special permission for a pro-immigration rally to take place on the National Mall today, adding to the Administration’s penchant for picking and choosing what monuments and memorials are open and who they are open to. Members of the Congressional Western Caucus responded to this decision with the following statements: Read more »
Washington, D.C. (September 20, 2013) – The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) proposed new regulations today on carbon emissions from coal-fired power plants. Complying with the outlined regulations would require carbon capture technologies that are currently untested, unproven and heavily subsidized by the federal government. Western Caucus Co-Chairs Steve Pearce and Cynthia Lummis released the following statements in response to the announcement: Read more »
Washington, D.C. (September 20, 2013) –Earlier this year, the Congressional Western Caucus held a field hearing in Denver, Colorado to discuss the pressing issue of how to empower states and local governments in the management of our forests. Today, the U.S. House of Representatives passed H.R. 1526, the Restoring Healthy Forests for Healthy Communities Act, to do just that. This bipartisan legislation encourages state and local involvement in the management of forest land, helps ensure sustainable funding solutions for schools, and will hold the U.S. Forest Service accountable for keeping our forests healthy. Read more »
Washington, D.C. (September 19, 2013) – Western Caucus Chairman Steve Pearce released the following statement today as we mark the fifth anniversary of the original permit application to begin construction on the Keystone XL Pipeline: Read more »
