{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://www.flake.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ContentRecord_id=947A8CDE-F88D-40AE-B2FB-812A89DED0A2", "Flake, McCain Encouraged Arizona Not Included Among New Monument Designations", "2016-12-28", "2016", "2016-12", "Republican", "House", "AZ", "Jeff Flake", "F000444", "www.flake.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "PHOENIX \u2013 U.S. Sens. Jeff Flake (R-Ariz.) and John McCain (R-Ariz.) today released the following statement regarding reports that the president\u2019s latest round of national monument designations does not include a proposed 1.7 million acre monument in Arizona:\r\n\u201cPresident Obama seems to have heard the message that Arizonans are not on board with plans for Washington to lock-up another 1.7 million acres in our state. As frustrating as it is to see federal land grabs in Utah and Nevada today, we are encouraged that the administration does not appear to be moving toward another national monument designation in Arizona at this time.\u201d \u00a0\r\nBackground: \r\n \r\nOn Dec. 5, Flake and McCain sent a letter to President Barack Obama following encouraging reports that he may abandon plans to abandon declaring a new national monument in Arizona. Flake and McCain\u2019s signed letter can be viewed here.\r\nOn Dec. 5, Flake and McCain also sent a letter to Department of Interior Secretary Sally Jewell today asking about the department\u2019s position on designation a new monument in Arizona. The signed letter can be viewed here.\r\nOn October 3, Flake and McCain sent a letter to President Obama asking him to refrain from designating any additional national monuments in Arizona without first engaging with affected stakeholders, including local governments and state agencies. Flake and McCain\u2019s signed letter can be viewed here.\r\nOn September 22, at a Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee hearing, Flake advocated for stakeholder input on new national monument designations in Arizona. More information can be found\u00a0here.\r\nOn Nov. 6, 2015, Flake and McCain sent a letter urging the U.S. Forest Service (USFS) to increase the pace of forest thinning efforts in order to reduce the risk of catastrophic wildfire and improve forest health. Flake and McCain\u2019s signed letter can be viewed\u00a0here. Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey simultaneously sent an identical letter to the USFS. Ducey\u2019s signed letter can be viewed\u00a0here.\u00a0\r\n \r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"]], "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://www.flake.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ContentRecord_id=947A8CDE-F88D-40AE-B2FB-812A89DED0A2"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 1.0243277065455914, "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"}