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Oversight and Investigations

Members Respond to Ongoing Wildfire Crisis

| Posted in Press Release

Today, the Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations held a hearing on solutions to restore health and resiliency to national forests and mitigate the threat of catastrophic wildfires. “At a time when national attention has focused on the disastrous effects of multiple hurricanes, more than 8.5 million acres of America has been ravaged by almost 49,000 fires this year. Fifty-eight…

Bishop Statement on House Appropriations Package

| Posted in Press Release

Chairman Rob Bishop (R-UT) issued the following statement on House passage of H.R. 3354, the Make America Secure and Prosperous Appropriations Act of 2018: “This package builds on the administration’s efforts to reduce bureaucracy and promote regulatory certainty across the Department of the Interior and other federal land management agencies.” H.R. 3354 includes policies and funding…

Chairman Bishop, Westerman Letter to Secretary Zinke on Land Purchases with Grant Funds

| Posted in Letters

TO: The Honorable Ryan Zinke FROM: Chairman Rob Bishop and Bruce Westerman Dear Secretary Zinke: On August 2, 2017, the Department of the Interior (DOI) Office of the Inspector General (OIG) released a report titled, "Evaluation of DOI's Ability to Track Data for Land Purchases Made with Grant Funds." Read the entire letter HERE.

Bishop Statement on Interior OIG Report on Dan Love

| Posted in Press Release

Today, the Department of the Interior (DOI) Office of Inspector General (OIG) released a report titled “Investigative Report of Misconduct by a Senior Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Law Enforcement Manager.” Chairman Rob Bishop (R-UT) released the following statement: “After numerous reports substantiating serious allegations of misconduct including the destruction of federal records,…

Chairman Bishop Letter to Department of the Interior Deputy Inspector General Mary Kendall

| Posted in Letters

TO:  FROM: Chairman Rob Bishop Dear Ms. Kendall: I am writing to formally request that your office provide to the Committee an unredacted copy of the full report related to an investigation the Office of Inspector General (OIG) conducted concerning serious misconduct by a senior Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Law Enforcement Manager. The OIG’s summary of this investigation is…

Bishop Statement on Regulation of Utah Prairie Dogs Under the Endangered Species Act

| Posted in Press Release

Today, the 10th Circuit Court of Appeals reinstated Endangered Species Act (ESA) regulation of Utah prairie dogs on non-federal lands. Chairman Rob Bishop (R-UT) issued the following statement: “Utahns have proven they can maintain prairie dogs. The only thing impeding the state is federal meddling. I appreciate Director Sheehan’s commitment to work with the state on a successful…

Bishop Announces New Subcommittee Chairman and Assignments

| Posted in Press Release

Today, Chairman Rob Bishop (R-UT) announced updated assignments and subcommittee leadership appointments for the House Committee on Natural Resources during the 115th Congress. Rep. Bruce Westerman (R-AR) will serve as the new Chairman of the Subcommittee on Oversight & Investigations. Rep. Darin LaHood (R-IL) will serve as the new Vice Chairman of the Subcommittee on Federal Lands.…

Excessive Litigation Diverts Interior from Core Mission, Congressional Mandates

| Posted in Press Release

Today, the Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations held a hearing examining how excessive litigation is draining taxpayer resources and preventing the Department of the Interior (DOI) from fulfilling its core statutory functions and responsibilities.   “Special interests repeatedly exploit our legal system to further their own agendas and sidestep the legislative and regulatory…

Labrador Letter to Interior Secretary Zinke

| Posted in Letters

TO: The Honorable Ryan Zinke FROM: Subcommittee Chairman Raúl Labrador Dear Secretary Zinke, The Committee on Natural Resources' Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations is conducting oversight of settlements negotiated in lawsuits against the Department of the Interior (DOI) and its subagencies. Read the entire letter HERE.

Panel Decries Natural Resources Laws Led Astray, Outlines Local Consequences of Executive Overreach

| Posted in Press Release

Today, the Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations held the first of a series of oversight hearings to examine the impacts of federal natural resources laws gone astray. The panel focused on three laws in particular: the Indian Reorganization Act (IRA), the Wilderness Act and the Federal Land Policy and Management Act (FLPMA).    “For too long, federal agencies have been…