Press Releases
Currently showing results related to Subcommittee for Indigenous Peoples of the United States
Chair Grijalva Hails Historic House Passage of Bills to Update Native Tribal Recognition Process, Protect Mashpee Tribe After Years of Republican Inaction
Washington, D.C. - Chair Raúl M. Grijalva (D-Ariz.) today hailed House passage of a pair of bills affirming Native American tribal land rights, including Rep. Tom Cole's (R-Okla.) measure to resolve a decade-long conflict over the fate of more than 1 million acres of potential tribal trust land instigated by a widely criticized 2009 Supreme Court ruling. Grijalva's remarks in favor of both bills on the House floor are available at http://bit.ly/2WKxYut. The votes come a week after Presid… Continue Reading
05.08.19
Chair Grijalva: President Trump’s Racist Tweet Just Delayed a Pair of Bills to Help Indian Country – Republicans Who Got Cold Feet Should Expect a Vote
Washington, D.C. - Chair Raúl M. Grijalva (D-Ariz.) said today that he will pursue other means of passing a pair of bills to help Indian Country after they were pulled from consideration by the House of Representatives in the wake of President Trump's racist tweet and subsequent Republican opposition to the measures. The House was scheduled to vote on Rep. Bill Keating's (D-Mass.) H.R. 312, the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe Reservation Reaffirmation Act, and Rep. Tom Cole's (R-Okla.) H.R. 375, … Continue Reading
05.08.19
Chair Grijalva: More Federally Protected Areas at Risk as Trump Admin Destroys Whole Communities, Public Lands to Build Unpopular Border Wall
Washington, D.C. - Chair Raúl M. Grijalva (D-Ariz.) today released the following statement on the news that U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) plans to build or extend bollard fencing along the vast majority of the southern boundaries of Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument, Cabeza Prieta National Wildlife Refuge, and San Bernardino National Wildlife Refuge - three federally protected sites - as part of its plan to construct President Trump's unpopular, needlessly destructive border … Continue Reading
05.07.19
Chair Grijalva Introduces “Tribal Heritage and Grizzly Bear Protection Act” Ahead of Expected Federal Ruling on Endangered Species Act Protections
Washington, D.C. - Chair Raúl M. Grijalva (D-Ariz.) today introduced the Tribal Heritage and Grizzly Bear Protection Act, which ensures that grizzly bears are permanently protected for their ecological and cultural value and guarantees Native American tribes a role in conserving and managing the species. Grizzly bears are considered sacred by many tribes, but only a small fraction of historic grizzly populations now exist in the lower 48 states. The bill, listed as H.R. 2532, is availabl… Continue Reading
05.01.19
First Markup of 116th Congress Showcases Dem Priorities: Ending Arctic Refuge Drilling, Supporting Tribes, Reclaiming Abandoned Mine Lands
Washington, D.C. - The first House Natural Resources Committee markup of the 116th Congress, which concluded moments ago, showcased a wide range of Democratic priorities and sometimes offered a stark contrast with Committee Republicans' environmental thinking. Among other bills, the Committee passed Rep. Jared Huffman's (D-Calif.) bipartisan proposal to cancel the oil and gas program in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, which was opened thanks to an amendment by Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska)… Continue Reading
04.16.19
After Democratic Site Tour of Chaco Culture National Historical Park, Chair Grijalva Declares “No Compromise” on Protecting Sacred Sites From Trump Agenda
Santa Fe, N.M. - After touring Chaco Culture National Historical Park, which included hearing from tribal and elected leaders about the risks to the site from nearby oil and gas drilling, Chair Raúl M. Grijalva (D-Ariz.) vowed aggressive, continuous oversight of the Trump administration's industry dominance agenda and its impact on sacred Native American sites around the country. The visit, Grijalva said, underscored the need for the Chaco Cultural Heritage Area Protection Act, which wi… Continue Reading
04.15.19
Chair Grijalva Invites Secretary Bernhardt to Testify by May 15 on Interior Policies and Ethical Concerns, Says Delays No Longer Acceptable
Washington, D.C. - Chair Raúl M. Grijalva (D-Ariz.) today sent a letter to Interior Secretary David Bernhardt inviting him to testify before the Committee on May 15 on the Department of the Interior's (DOI) policies and priorities, as well as issues raised by recent revelations regarding the Secretary's schedule and record-keeping. The letter comes after several months of correspondence and staff-level discussion between the Committee and Bernhardt's office. "Secretary Bernhardt has bee… Continue Reading
04.15.19
After New Mexico Witnesses Speak Out Against Health, Environmental Impacts of Runaway Oil and Gas Industry, Chair Grijalva Eyes New Federal Limits
Santa Fe, N.M. - Following a recently concluded public hearing at which New Mexicans from all walks of life testified to the severe health and environmental damage being done by fossil fuel companies, Chair Raúl M. Grijalva (D-Ariz.) said new federal restrictions on oil and gas may be necessary given the industry's wasteful practices and continued appetite for extraction at any cost. As Chair Grijalva, Assistant Speaker Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.), Committee Vice Chair Deb Haaland (D-N.… Continue Reading
04.04.19
VIDEO: Chair Grijalva Speaks on ‘Violence Against Women Act’ Amendments to Protect Native Women, Reverse Lack of Federal Prosecutions
Washington D.C. - Chair Raúl M. Grijalva (D-Ariz.) yesterday introduced two bipartisan amendments to the Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act of 2019, which just passed the House of Representatives. Video of Grijalva's remarks in favor of both amendments is available at https://bit.ly/2FMnrYx. Grijalva's first amendment expands the definition of domestic violence in the Indian Civil Rights Act of 1968, as amended by the bill, to include violence against or witnessed by a child und… Continue Reading
03.29.19
Chair Grijalva Denounces Racist, Pro-Trump Attack on Oklahoma Native Americans, Calls for GOP Leadership Pushback & Policy Response
Washington, D.C. - Chair Raúl M. Grijalva (D-Ariz.) said today that yesterday's racist, pro-Trump attacks on the Chickasaw Nation and the Oklahoma Democratic Party headquarters need to result in a substantive policy response and comprehensive pushback from Republican Party leadership. Grijalva thanked Oklahoma Republican Reps. Tom Cole and Markwayne Mullin for their joint statement Thursday evening condemning the attacks, which included racist graffiti and threats of violence. The messag… Continue Reading
03.27.19
Grijalva, Udall Introduce Bill to Fund Water Infrastructure in Indian Country, Help Tribes Meet Longstanding Demand for Guaranteed Water Access
Washington, D.C. - Chair Raúl M. Grijalva (D-Ariz.) and Sen. Tom Udall (D-N.M.), thevice chairman of the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs, introduced the Indian Water Rights Settlement Extension Act today to fund water infrastructure projects in tribal communities. "In the West and in Indian Country, these settlements play a critical role in communities' long-term economic sustainability. This legislation will provide predictable and reliable funding for current and future Indian wat… Continue Reading
03.14.19
Violence Against Native Women Takes Center Stage at Today’s Natural Resources Hearing
Washington, D.C. - This morning's Subcommittee for Indigenous Peoples of the United States hearing to examine the silent crisis of Murdered and Missing Indigenous Women (MMIW) featured four Native American women as expert witnesses who testified that Congress and federal agencies have not honored their trust responsibilities to Native communities, and that stopping the epidemic of violence against Native women will take time and resources that are not currently being offered. The video archive … Continue Reading
03.14.19
Tribes and Community Witnesses Call Out Trump Admin Over Illegal Monument Cuts at Natural Resources Hearing, Highlight Fossil Fuel Considerations
Washington, D.C. - At yesterday's Natural Resources Committee hearing examining the inadequate review and improper alteration of Utah's national monuments, Chair Raúl M. Grijalva (D-Ariz.) and committee Democrats heard from tribal and Southern Utah community witnesses who emphasized the Trump administration's failure to gather public input from a meaningful range of stakeholders, including those who supported maintaining full monument status, or to conduct any genuine review process befor… Continue Reading
02.07.19
Chair Grijalva Champions Bold Climate Action, Supports Green New Deal Resolution
Washington, D.C. - Chair Raúl M. Grijalva (D-Ariz.) today announced his support for the Green New Deal resolution unveiled by Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.), Sen. Ed Markey (D-Mass.), and other Congressional Democrats. Grijalva, who yesterday led the first in a monthlong series of hearings on climate change in the Natural Resources Committee, said he is excited to work with supporters of the plan throughout the 116th Congress to reduce U.S. emissions and build a more sustainable e… Continue Reading
02.06.19
VIDEO HIGHLIGHTS: House Natural Resources Committee Holds Historic Hearing on Climate Change Impacts
Washington D.C. - The House Natural Resources Committee, led by Chair Raúl M. Grijalva (D-Ariz.), held the first hearing today of a monthlong series on climate change impacts to communities and the need for strong new federal policies. The hearing, titled Climate Change: Impacts and the Need to Act, was the first on climate change in this Committee since June of 2009. Video highlights from today's hearing are available below. Witness testimony and Chair Grijalva's opening statement, amon… Continue Reading
02.05.19
Chair Grijalva: Trump’s Expected Failure to Meaningfully Address Climate Change Underscores Why We’re Holding Our Wednesday Morning Hearing
Washington, D.C. - Chair Raúl M. Grijalva (D-Ariz.) said that President Trump's expected failure to meaningfully address climate change in tonight's State of the Union underscores the pressing need for congressional action and throws a spotlight on the Natural Resources Committee hearing at 10:00 a.m. Eastern time on how climate change has impacted communities across the country. That hearing - which will feature testimony from Gov. Roy Cooper (D-N.C.) and Gov. Charlie Baker (R-Mass.), am… Continue Reading
02.05.19
REMINDER: Natural Resources Committee Hearing This Wednesday Kicks Off Month of Climate Change Action
Washington, D.C. - The Natural Resources Committee is holding a hearing on climate change and impacted communities at 10:00 a.m. Eastern time on Wednesday, Feb. 6, in Longworth 1324 on Capitol Hill. The hearing, led by Chair Raúl M. Grijalva (D-Ariz.) and titled Climate Change: Impacts and the Need to Act, kicks off a month of climate change hearings in the Committee and its subcommittees. The Wednesday morning event can be viewed via livestream at http://bit.ly/2UD53Hp As with all Comm… Continue Reading
01.31.19
Chair Grijalva, Leading Committee Democrats Challenge Administration’s Decision to Lease Sensitive Tribal Land in New Mexico
Washington, D.C. - Chair Raúl M. Grijalva (D-Ariz.) and key Democratic leaders of the House Committee on Natural Resources today challenged the Trump administration's decision to advance an oil and gas lease sale on culturally significant tribal land in New Mexico. The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) worked behind the scenes to advance the leasing process during the 35-day government shutdown while tribes lacked access to food, health care and other basic resources. The leased area would… Continue Reading
01.29.19
Chair Raúl M. Grijalva Announces Natural Resources Committee Democratic Leadership Team
Washington D.C. - Chair Raúl M. Grijalva (D-Ariz.) today announced the Democratic leadership team and subcommittee memberships of the Natural Resources Committee for the 116th Congress. Photo highlights of the recently concluded Democratic organizing meeting are available at http://bit.ly/2HLIPBE. "Protecting our environment, taking climate change seriously, and putting the public interest first are not optional on this Committee, and that's what Democrats are going to do every day for t… Continue Reading
01.15.19
Chairman Grijalva, Democratic Leaders Highlight Dramatic Shutdown Impacts on Indian Country, Natural Resources at Capitol Hill Hearing
The quote from Rep. Deb Haaland (D-N.M.) was added online after this press release was initially publicized. Washington, D.C. - Chairman Raúl M. Grijalva (D-Ariz.) and House Democratic leaders today highlighted the dramatic impacts of the government shutdown on Indian Country and on our natural resources and public lands at a recently concluded hearing of the Democratic Steering and Policy Committee. The event, which featured two panels of witnesses and a broad cross section of the House… Continue Reading