{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://hageman.house.gov/media/press-releases/western-caucus-members-blast-biden-administrations-decision-lock-americas", "Western Caucus Members Blast the Biden Administration\u2019s Decision to Lock Up America\u2019s Public Lands", "2024-04-19", "2024", "2024-04", "Republican", "House", "WY", "Harriet M. Hageman", "H001096", "hageman.house.gov", "hageman", "https://hageman.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 Western Caucus Members responded to the Biden Administration\u2019s recent Conservation and Landscape Health final rule from the Bureau of Land Management (BLM). This rule violates the multiple-use mandate established by the Federal Land Policy and Management Act (FLPMA) and is a direct threat to rural America.\n\n\"This devastating decision threatens the western way of life and is a slap in the face for local communities who have diligently stewarded America's resources for generations. Access and the multiple uses of BLM land are an integral part of life in western states and is the backbone of rural economies across the country,\u201d said House Committee on Natural Resources Chairman Bruce Westerman (AR-04). \u201cWhen this rule was proposed, several westerngovernors, members of Congress, and thousands of Americans used BLM\u2019s comment period to publicly share their opposition, yet their concerns have gone unheard. Today is another example of the Biden administration leaving local communities out of the conversation and blatantly disregarding input from the American families that are impacted the most. This rule fundamentally threatens the land we use to feed and fuel our country and is at best vaguely defined, unnecessary and burdensome. Fortunately, the House Committee on Natural Resources has been advancing a solution. Congressman Curtis's WEST Act amplifies the concerns of stakeholders across western states and will require the BLM director to withdraw this severely misguided rule and manage lands in accordance with the agency\u2019s statutory multiple use mandate. I look forward to doing everything in my power to help get the WEST Act through the House and I\u2019d like to thank Congressman Curtis for his leadership on this important issue.\"\n\n\u201cBLM\u2019s new rule effectively cedes control of federal lands from those who have been managing the land for generations through ranching and grazing,\u201d said Executive Vice Chair Doug LaMalfa (CA-01). \u201cAccess to BLM land is a fundamental part of life in western states and essential for many rural economies, it\u2019s not a privilege for wealthy enviro groups to buy up and lock up in the name of \u2018conservation\u2019.\u201d\n\n\u201cThis rule is an example of everything that\u2019s wrong with the administrative state,\u201d said Vice Chair Celeste Maloy (UT-02). \u201cCongress\u2019 directive to the BLM is to manage land for multiple uses and sustained yield. This rule eliminates multiple use. Therefore, this rule is in contradiction to the agency\u2019s authority. It has to be stopped before it is implemented.\u201d\n\n\u201cAs energy prices continue to rise across the country, this Administration has created yet another nonsensical rule that will effectively lock up more land and raise energy costs,\u201d said Vice Chair Jay Obernolte (CA-23). \u201cBy restricting land from being utilized under the false guise of conservation, this rule will only make it more expensive for American companies to extract resources and generate energy. Those increased costs will be passed along to consumers, further fueling inflation and making it even harder for Californian families to make ends meet.\u201d\n\n\u201cThis final rule is a step backwards for responsible stewardship of our lands,\u201dsaid Vice Chair Adrian Smith (NE-03). \u201cIt\u2019s clear from federal land grabs like this and President Biden\u2019s broader 30x30 agenda, the administration has no interest in recognizing congressional intent and feedback from stakeholders. Communities across the west are highly dependent on access to multiple-use public lands for their health, recreation, and livelihoods, and BLM should immediately reverse course.\u201d\n\n\u201cThe Bureau of Land Management's Conservation and Landscape Health rule will lock away more federal land \u2013 limiting the American people\u2019s ability to responsibly use our lands for activities, such as recreation, timber harvesting, livestock grazing, and energy development,\u201d said Vice Chair Tom Tiffany (WI-07). \u201cIt is another example of the Biden administration catering to extremist environmental groups that do not want Americans accessing our public lands.\u201d\n\n\u201cOnce again, the Biden Administration is ignoring the multiple use mandate on BLM lands in favor of radical environmentalists funding their political operation and controlling western lands,\u201d said Vice Chair Ryan Zinke (MT-01).\u201cConservation has always been an end goal of the BLM\u2019s mandate and is already a focus for all those who utilize our public lands. The enactment of \u2018conservation leases\u2019 is about control and is a direct threat to communities that create jobs, fund their schools, and build their livelihoods on grazing, mining, energy production and outdoor recreation. I will be submitting a rider on the FY25 Interior appropriations bill blocking this rule until a new administration is in control.\u201d\n\n\u201cThis rule from the Biden administration would jeopardize several years of successful management and collaboration between stakeholders who live, work, and recreate on public lands,\u201d said Rep. Mike Simpson (ID-02). \u201cAs Chairman of the House Interior and Environment Appropriations Subcommittee\u2014which has jurisdiction over the BLM\u2014I will continue to push back against this misguided decision.\u201d\n\n\"It is critical that Utah's land remains under the stewardship of those who have tended it for generations. This rule from the Biden Administration undermines the very people who rely on our federal lands for ranching, grazing, recreation, and beyond,\u201d said Rep. John Curtis (UT-03). \u201cUtahns know the true value of these lands, and this rule unjustly restricts access that should remain open to everyone. Instead, it favors wealthy individuals and environmental groups, allowing them to lock up land that belongs to all Utahns. I will work tirelessly to repeal this disastrous effort.\"\n\n\"Idahoans have enjoyed the vast natural resources the state has to offer for decades, and this rule change will have drastic impacts on the future of recreation, grazing, and natural resource production,\" said Rep. Russ Fulcher (ID-01). \"I am deeply disappointed that BLM announced the final ruling and extensive changes to the Federal Land Policy and Management Act (FLPMA). BLM manages twelve million acres of Idaho federal land. Idahoans have the congressional right to utilize the resources in their backyard for multiple uses, and I indeed to fight to ensure that stays in place.\"\n\n\u201cOnce again this Administration is using federal agencies to circumvent Congress and create rules that destroy our Western way of life,\u201d said Rep. Harriet Hageman (WY-AL). \u201cThe finalization of this disastrous rule, which was created without the input of the families, farmers, ranchers, tribes, and others that best know and care for our public lands, will negatively impact Wyoming and all Western states. It empowers radical environmentalist groups to restrict public access to public lands. I was proud to cosponsor legislation to withdraw this rule and will continue to fight against this Biden land grab.\u201d", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-07T20:47:55Z"]], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "primary_key_values": ["https://hageman.house.gov/media/press-releases/western-caucus-members-blast-biden-administrations-decision-lock-americas"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 2.2853901609778404, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}