WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Western Caucus Members introduced five pieces of legislation to codify the Trump Administration’s 2019 and 2020 regulations to modernize and improve the Endangered Species Act (ESA). Chairman Dan Newhouse (WA-04) introduced legislation to maintain the Trump Administration’s Section 4 regulations that require the economic impact of an ESA listing decision to be considered.... Read more »
This piece was originally published in The Hill. Conservation is engrained within our western way of life. Our livelihood and quality of life out West is reliant upon healthy landscapes which is why we take pride in stewarding the land for current and future generations. Western land users should be seen as partners for accomplishing our conservation goals, not targets. Unfortunately, that is not ... Read more »
WASHINGTON, D.C. – On October 5, Congressional Western Caucus and Senate Western Caucus Members unveiled a blueprint for effective, science-based conservation titled, "Western Conservation Principles." In contrast to the Biden Administration's top-down preservationist approach, also known as the "30 by 30 initiative," the Principles embrace the policies, tools, and values recognized by rural Ameri... Read more »
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Congressional Western Caucus and Senate Western Caucus Members revealed a holistic, outcome-based conservation proposal titled, “Western Conservation Principles.” The proposal, which serves as an alternative to the Biden Administration’s "30 by 30 initiative" and America the Beautiful report, is a blueprint for responsible, effective conservation supported by rural commun... Read more »
WASHINGTON, D.C. – This week, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) completed initial reviews of two petitions to list gray wolves in the western United States under the Endangered Species Act (ESA). USFWS subsequently announced they would initiate a 12-month comprehensive status review of the gray wolf. Chairman Dan Newhouse (WA-04) and Vice Chair Bruce Westerman (AR-04) released the followi... Read more »
This piece was originally published in the Spokesman-Review. Tracy Stone-Manning is an unacceptable nominee to serve as Director of the Bureau of Land Management (BLM). More information about her past comes to light every day, each new piece more damning than the last. I have called on President Biden to rescind her nomination immediately, and now our senators must take a stand against this extrem... Read more »
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congressional Western Caucus and Senate Western Caucus Members, led by Chairman Dan Newhouse (WA-04), Vice Chair Bruce Westerman (AR-04), and Senator Cynthia Lummis (WY), sent a letter to U.S. Department of the Interior Secretary Deb Haaland in response to the Bureau of Land Management’s (BLM) recent announcement to initiate a review of land management plans for the greater sage... Read more »
This piece was originally published in The Hill. Although we hail from different regions of the country, we share the belief that land management decisions are most effective when made by local communities using the best available science. This is especially true when considering listing species under the Endangered Species Act (ESA). Local experts and communities offer important knowledge and per... Read more »
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Chairman Dan Newhouse (WA-04) hosted a Special Order to discuss the successes and failures of the Endangered Species Act (ESA), highlight species recovery efforts across the country, and promote commonsense policies to modernize the landmark species protection law. Western Caucus Members spoke about the impacts of local ESA listings on local communities and emphasized the import... Read more »
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Chairman Dan Newhouse (WA-04) and Rep. Cliff Bentz (OR-02), Ranking Member of the House Natural Resources Subcommittee on Water, Oceans, and Wildlife, hosted a virtual forum titled, “The Impacts of a Weaponized Endangered Species Act: The Case of the Northern Spotted Owl,” to highlight the mismanagement of the Northern Spotted Owl in the Pacific Northwest. The forum featured thr... Read more »
