{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://westerman.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/westerman-letter-biden-administration-criticizing-listing-rio-grande", "WESTERMAN LETTER TO BIDEN ADMINISTRATION CRITICIZING THE LISTING OF RIO GRANDE MUSSELS AS AN ENDANGERED SPECIES", "2023-09-12", "2023", "2023-09", "Republican", "House", "AR", "Bruce Westerman", "W000821", "westerman.house.gov", "westerman", "https://westerman.house.gov/media-center/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON - House Committee on Natural Resources Chairman Bruce Westerman (AR-04), House Budget Committee Chairman Jodey Arrington (TX-19), House Homeland Security Chairman Mark E. Green, M.D. (TN-07), and Border Security Caucus Co-Chairs Rep. Brian Babin (TX-36) and Rep. Andy Biggs (AZ-05) led a letter to President Biden and Secretary of the Department of the Interior Haaland inquiring about the July 25, 2023 U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service proposed rule to list the Salina mucket and the Mexican fawnsfoot mussels as endangered and designate a critical habitat for the species.\n\nThe Service has proposed nearly 300 river miles of critical habitat for the mussels along the border, an action which would impede Texas\u2019 ability to protect the border and its citizens and prevent U.S. Border Patrol from accomplishing its mission of protecting the American people and safeguarding our borders.\n\n\u201cIf the Biden Administration is so concerned with the well-being of these mussel species, they should use their authority to combat the illegal crossings impacting the habitats of the species, rather than blocking the Governor of Texas\u2019 efforts. I\u2019m proud to lead this effort with Chairman Arrington to seek answers about the Administration\u2019s latest politically motivated rule that only fuels the ongoing ecological, humanitarian, and national security crisis at the border,\u201d said Chairman Westerman.\n\n\u201cWhile Biden has failed to use federal powers to secure the border, he has no problem weaponizing the government to prevent states from doing so in his absence. Where was Biden's U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service\u2019s concerns when millions of migrants trampled the mussel\u2019s \u201ccritical habitat\u201d while illegally crossing the Rio Grande? Clearly, Biden is more concerned about disrupting the habitat of the Mexican mussels than disrupting the operations of Mexican cartels who are destroying the lives of Americans and migrants alike. Governor Abbott has the constitutional authority to secure the border and protect his citizens. He should pay no attention to Biden\u2019s shell game,\u201d said Chairman Arrington.\n\n\u201cTexas has been forced to protect and defend itself because President Biden and Secretary Mayorkas won\u2019t secure the border. The Biden administration is spending more time and effort trying to keep Texas from defending its ranchers, farmers, and others living in border communities than it is trying to fix the problem. The fact that Biden is now using the existence of mussels in the Rio Grande as a reason to block Texas from keeping its river barrier system in place is utter horse hockey. What\u2019s next, moss? The situation at the border has reached critical levels\u2014these political games impede the ability to carry out vital border security. I\u2019m proud to join Chairman Arrington in shedding light on this ridiculous action by the Biden administration,\u201d said Chairman Green.\n\n\u201cThe Biden administration\u2019s convenient declaration of an environmental hazard in response to Governor Abbott\u2019s floating barrier is undoubtedly political,\u201d said Rep. Babin. \u201cIf the White House genuinely cared about the mussels growing in the Rio Grande, it would secure the border and stop the hundreds of thousands of illegals from trampling across the river \u2013 or maybe clean up the tons of trash illegal immigrants and smugglers leave behind each year. Instead of prioritizing our national security, the president has once again acted to further open our southern border and erode our sovereignty.\u201d\n\n\u201cThe Biden Administration\u2019s proposed rule to designate new critical habitat and endangered species in the Rio Grande Sector to halt border barrier construction is a brazen attempt to further unsecure our nation\u2019s southern border. The timing of this rule amid the creation of a new floating border barrier in Texas confirms the rule is politically motivated and likely legally dubious,\u201d said Rep. Biggs. \u201cI applaud Congressman Arrington\u2019s latest efforts to help better secure our southern border and require the Biden Administration to answer Congress.\u201d", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T00:37:48Z"]], "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://westerman.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/westerman-letter-biden-administration-criticizing-listing-rio-grande"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 1.8664421513676643, "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"}