Press Releases

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Yesterday, the House Committee on Natural Resources Subcommittee on Water, Wildlife and Fisheries hosted a hearing on several legislative bills that include reforms to the Endangered Species Act (ESA), species management improvements, water resource support, and the elimination of regulatory delays. Congressional Western Caucus Chairman Dan Newhouse (WA-04) along with Executive Vice Chair Doug LaMalfa (CA-01), Vice Chair Garret Graves (LA-06) and Reps. Cliff Bentz (OR-02), Tom McClintock (CA-05), Juan Ciscomani (AZ-06), Harriet Hageman (WY-AL), John Duarte (CA-13) and Mary Peltola (AK-AL) participated in the hearing.

“I have said it many times, but for far too long, radical environmental activists have weaponized the ESA against farmers, ranchers, landowners, and rural communities while recovering less than three percent of species listed over the last 50 years,” said Chairman Dan Newhouse (WA-04). “As Chairman of the Western Caucus, I am proud of this legislation and was happy to introduce it alongside chair of the Senate Western Caucus, Senator Cynthia Lummis to prevent these egregious rules from taking effect and to steer the ESA back to its intended purpose of helping species recover without being a barrier to prosperity for our rural communities.”

“I can cite one example in my own district, Elderberry Bushes are required to be basically untouched because an Elderberry Beetle may come along even when they haven’t been seen there in who knows how long, that is now considered critical habitat,” said Executive Vice Chair Doug LaMalfa (CA-01). “It’s caused extremely expensive work to have to be done to critical flood control systems in areas that I represent and it has taken many, many years to get that work done because of the idea that an Elderberry Beetle may come along.”

"Today’s Water, Wildlife and Fisheries Subcommittee hearing examined seven bills, many of which deal with overreach by the Biden administration in how it is implementing the Endangered Species Act,” said Chairman of the House Natural Resources’ Subcommittee on Water, Wildlife and Fisheries Cliff Bentz (OR-02). “My constituents know all too well how the heavy hand of federal regulations administered under the ESA can cripple local economies, eliminate jobs, and harm species. I will continue to work with my subcommittee colleagues to provide proper oversight of Biden administration’s actions and look forward to moving these bills forward through the committee process."

“I always say that we made the fifth largest city in the middle of the desert and while we have made enormous strides in conserving our water resources, more work must be done to secure Arizona’s water future,” said Rep. Juan Ciscomani (AZ-06). “I represent the 6^th district of Arizona which contains a significant part of the southern region of the state including several border communities, many of my constituents that I represent rely on pumped, ground water from transboundary aquifers for their drinking water, farming, and other every day needs.”

“Designating unsuitable areas as critical habitat only provokes the Supreme Court, alienates landowners, directs our limited resources to things that don’t matter and actually distracts from recovering the species,” said Rep. Harriet Hageman (WY-AL).

“My district is 66% Hispanic, it’s a Voting Rights Act district so I’m here to advocate for the farm workers down in my district that are impacted by the socioeconomic and human health issues,” said Rep. John Duarte (CA-13).

“One of the things that I’ve seen in Alaska is that subsistence harvesters get no kind of disaster relief when there is a disaster, we’re just fishing to put food on the table but there’s nothing that acknowledges that loss,” said Rep. Mary Peltola (AK-AL). “For our commercial users and processors and communities, it can take years.”

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