Press Releases

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Industry leaders and associations representing rural America released statements in response to the House of Representatives passing H.R. 4821, the Department of the Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act for Fiscal Year 2024. This bill passed by a bipartisan vote of 213-203.

American Petroleum Institute Vice President of Federal Relations Lance West: “H.R. 4821 is a step toward safeguarding U.S. jobs, promoting energy leadership and protecting the wallets of hardworking Americans. By recognizing the need for continued access to leasing on federal lands and waters, bolstering transportation supply chains, and protecting the ability of consumers to choose their vehicles, this legislation helps to ensure a strong energy future for America.”

American Sheep Industry Association Executive Director Peter Orwick: “A third of the American sheep flock spends a portion of the year on federal lands, so topics involving the Bureau of Land Management are critical to the industry. The House’s Interior Appropriations bill addresses the Conservation and Landscape Health rule, which is the basis for a concerning proposed Resource Management Plan in Wyoming. The plan would dramatically cut both livestock grazing and predator management in the Rock Springs area, which is already home to significant sheep grazing. As the Wyoming Wool Growers Association has pointed out, this plan might also set an unfortunate precedent for public lands across the Western United States.”

Essential Minerals Association President Chris Greissing: “The Covid-19 pandemic showed us we simply cannot rely on adversaries for our supply chain needs, and we are still trying to come out from under that crisis. The minerals industry is essential to the nation’s manufacturing, agricultural, and energy needs as it is the raw feedstock these industries rely upon. The nation needs our federal government to put forth policies that promote a stronger domestic minerals industry. We have been disheartened by the many regulatory proposals that have emanated from the Department of Interior and the Environmental Protection Agency in the last few years. Not only are they detrimental to the minerals industry, but they are clearly counter to the current Administration’s publicly stated goals of improving access to our abundant domestic supply of mineral deposits, many of which are essential to the enactment of the Administration’s own green energy priorities. The legislation being proposed by the House Appropriations Committee will allow Congress to finally begin resolving this issue. Given the unstable global atmosphere, it is vital that policies promoted in this legislation be enacted as soon as possible.”

National Cattlemen’s Beef Association Vice President of Government Affairs Ethan Lane: “The House-passed Interior and Environment appropriations bill makes long-sought, commonsense cuts through red tape that has plagued cattle producers for decades. The bill stops bureaucrats from enacting more harmful regulations on our nation’s farms and ranches and recognizes the conservation and sustainability work that cattle producers are doing every day.”

National Shooting Sports Foundation Senior Vice President and General Counsel Lawrence G. Keane: “NSSF is deeply grateful to the House of Representatives Committee on Appropriations and for Subcommittee Chairman Mike Simpson’s leadership to ensure that wildlife conservation follows peer-reviewed, site-specific evidence when applying policy decisions. The Biden administration has weaponized access to public lands to mollify antigun and anti-hunting special interests by banning the use of traditional ammunition when increasing access to public lands. This is counterproductive to the successful wildlife conservation initiatives that are funded in large part by the Pittman-Robertson excise taxes paid by firearm and ammunition manufacturers. Hunters support these programs when they purchase the ammunition that best suits their needs.”

Public Lands Council Executive Director Kaitlynn Glover: “The Interior and Environment Appropriations bill supports the thousands of ranching families who face unique challenges in the West. The bill protects public lands grazing as an important use of our nation’s public lands, limits burdensome Endangered Species Act rules, and nullifies the Bureau of Land Management’s ‘Conservation and Landscape Health’ rule, which would upend congressionally approved land management practices if finalized.”