Press Releases

Washington, D.C. (March 26, 2014) – This afternoon, the U.S. House of Representatives passed H.R. 1459, the Ensuring Public Involvement in the Creation of National Monuments Act with a vote of 222-201. This legislation allows the American people to have a say in the decision-making process leading up to a national monument designation.

Congressman Steve Pearce, Chairman of the Congressional Western Caucus, and Congressman Rob Bishop, the bill’s sponsor, released the following statements in response to the passage of H.R. 1459:

“Monument designations should be decided by the people whom they affect, not solely by the President.” saidCongressman Pearce. “This legislation prevents continued abuse of the Antiquities Act by the current Administration by giving the American people the opportunity to have a say in the decisions that impact their communities. Public input is paramount in ensuring that monument designation is a transparent procedure. When designations are handed down through executive order like they are now, public opinion is denied and valid concerns are silenced. The current process is detrimental to both conservation and democracy and needs to be revised to ensure American citizens have a say in the decision making process.”

“The American people deserve the opportunity to participate in land-use decisions regardless of whether they are made in Congress or by the President. This bill ensures that new national monuments are created openly with consideration of public input. Decisions that impact the livelihoods of so many people deserve to be made out in the open, not behind closed doors,” added Congressman Bishop. “There is no legitimate reason that the President should be able to block the public from being involved in this process, that is why we are adding NEPA to presidential declarations. This bill is simply about transparency and fairness. If the President is confident that a designation is really in the best interest of all American people, then this small modification to the application of the Antiquities Act should be non-controversial.”