WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today, House Natural Resources Committee Chairman Doc Hastings (WA-04) issued a subpoena to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) seeking documents surrounding the process and science behind the decision to list the White Bluffs bladderpod as a threatened species under the Endangered Species Act. The Committee first requested documents on March 7, 2014 and, after the FWS missed the initial March 21, 2014 deadline, Chairman Hastings warned FWS Director Dan Ashe at a March 26th Full Committee hearing that a subpoena would be issued if the FWS did not fully comply by April 2nd. While some information has been provided, the majority of the document requests remain unanswered. Read more »
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today, the Subcommittee on Energy and Mineral Resources held an oversight hearing on “Energy Independence: Domestic Opportunities to Reverse California’s Growing Dependence on Foreign Oil.” Overall, the United States is importing less oil than any point in the past decade, yet California’s foreign oil imports have dramatically increased. Today’s hearing focused on the drastic increase in foreign oil imports in California and the opportunities within the state for significant energy production. Read more »
Washington, D.C. (April 1, 2014) – Last week the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works (EPW) released a new report profiling a former EPA staffer that was sentenced to two and a half years in prison for stealing over $900,00 in taxpayer money. John C. Beale was no ordinary EPA staffer; in fact, he was a senior policy advisor and highest-paid employee at the EPA by the time he resigned in April 2013. Before being sentenced, Beale admitted to taking months of paid time off by making colleagues believe that he was working for the CIA. Read more »
Washington, D.C. (March 27, 2014) – Today, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service announced their decision to list the Lesser Prairie Chicken under the Endangered Species Act. Members of the Congressional Western Caucus responded to this decision with the following statements: Read more »
WASHINGTON, D.C. - House Natural Resources Committee Chairman Doc Hastings (WA-04), Rep. Cynthia Lummis (Wyoming-at large), Rep. Randy Neugebauer (TX-19), and Rep. Bill Huizenga (MI-02) today introduced four limited bills to improve and update the Endangered Species Act (ESA). The bills are supported by all of the Members of the ESA Congressional Working Group, representing districts across the nation, and are based on the recommendations and findings of their report and input from a broad array of stakeholders, including the Western Governors’ Association. The four bills focus on transparency and species recovery. Read more »
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. Read more »
Washington, DC – Today, Republican U.S. Congressman Steve Pearce (NM-02) and Democrat U.S. Congressman Beto O’Rourke (TX-16) introduced the Border Enforcement, Accountability, Oversight, and Community Engagement Act of 2014. Read more »
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today Congressman Kevin Cramer introduced the Natural Gas Gathering Enhancement Act in the U.S. House of Representatives. The legislation would reduce the loss of natural gas due to flaring and venting by expediting permits for pipelines on Federal and Indian land. The companion bill was introduced in the Senate earlier this month by Senators John Hoeven (ND), John Barrasso (WY), and Mike Enzi (WY). Read more »
WASHINGTON, DC — Congressman Randy Neugebauer (R-TX) introduced legislation today that will improve the Endangered Species Act (ESA). H.R. 4284, the ESA Improvement Act of 2014, empowers state and local agencies to protect and restore species and prevent costly listings. Read more »
WASHINGTON D.C. – Next week, the House of Representatives will consider H.R. 1459, the Ensuring Public Involvement in the Creation of National Monuments Act. This legislation ensures that the American people have the opportunity to participate in the decision-making process leading up to a new national monument designation. The legislation ensures that when presidents make a national monument declaration, it is done transparently and with the application of the nation’s primary public involvement law, the National Environmental Protection Act (NEPA). Read more »
