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 »
Washington, D.C. (September 18, 2013) – Today, the House of Representatives passed H.R. 761, the National Strategic and Critical Minerals Production Act of 2013, which was sponsored by Western Caucus member Congressman Mark Amodei (R-NV). Congressman Amodei and Western Caucus Co-Chair Cynthia Lummis released the following statements in response to the passage of this important legislation: Read more »
Washington, D.C. (September 5, 2013) – Earlier this week, the Alaska Governor and Congressional Delegation were made aware of reports of the Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation’s (DEC) Environmental Crimes Unit and the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Criminal Investigations Division using intimidation tactics while raiding gold mines in the Fortymile River area near Chicken, AK. The EPA and DEC showed up armed and in full body armor, claiming to look for violations of the Clean Water Act. No arrests were made and no citations were issued. Read more »
Washington, D.C. (August 29, 2013) – Western Caucus Chairman Steve Pearce responded to the devastating California Rim Fire with the following statement: Read more »
Washington, D.C. (August 27, 2013) – The U.S. Department of the Interior notified states yesterday that it will return over $100 million in mineral royalty payments to states as a result of lawmakers’ call for states to be rightfully paid under the Mineral Leasing Act (MLA). Western Caucus Co-ChairsSteve Pearce and Cynthia Lummis released the following statements in response to the news: Read more »
