San Antonio Missions National Historical Park Leasing and Boundary Expansion Act of 2010 (H.R. 4438) May 5, 2010 Full Committee Markup Reporting H.R. 4438 out of Committee (Voted favorably by voice vote) The San Antonio Missions National Historical Park Leasing and Boundary Expansion Act of 2010 would expand the boundary of the Park to include an additional 151 acres, only a small… Read more »

Oregon Caves National Monument Boundary Adjustment Act of 2009 (H.R. 2889) May 5, 2010 Full Committee Markup Reporting H.R. 2889 out of Committee (Voted favorably by voice vote) The Oregon Caves National Monument Boundary Adjustment Act of 2009 would modify the boundary of the Oregon Caves National Monument to include approximately 4,070 acres of land currently managed by the Forest… Read more »

The National Border Patrol Council (NBPC), a professional union representing more than 17,000 Border Patrol Agents and support staff, sent a letter yesterday in support of H.R. 5016, a bill to prevent the Department of Interior and the Department of Agriculture from implementing policies that restrict or impede Border Patrol from carrying out their mission to secure the U.S.… Read more »

Only weeks after Republican Committee Ranking Members introduced legislation to ensure Border Patrol agents’ operational control of the border isn’t compromised by Department of Interior environmental policies, a shooting occurred on public lands near the border. On Friday, April 30, Pinal County Sheriff Deputy Louie Puroll was ambushed and shot by five drug smugglers in the Table Top… Read more »

As the Obama Administration and the Congressional Democrats scramble to cobble together a response to growing concerns on the U.S.-Mexico border - particularly on federal lands, where Border Patrol is unable to effectively monitor and patrol - a recent comment from Department of Interior (DOI) Secretary Ken Salazar has shed some light on DOI’s inability to address the… Read more »

Today, the House Natural Resources Subcommittee on National Forests, Parks and Public Lands held a legislative hearing on the bipartisan Cabin Fee Act of 2010 (H.R. 4888). The Subcommittee heard from multiple cabin owner witnesses who expressed real need for the legislation, which will correct volatile and skyrocketing cabin fees by establishing a fair, sustainable fee system. “Many of… Read more »

On Thursday, April 22nd the National Parks, Forest and Public Lands Subcommittee will hold a legislative hearing on the bipartisan Cabin Fee Act of 2010 (H.R. 4888) to establish a fair, predictable fee-setting system for families who own cabins in our National Forests. The bill was introduced by House Natural Resources Committee Ranking Member Doc Hastings (WA-04) and has 13 co-sponsors,… Read more »

Claim: “Collaborative work between DOI staff and DHS (Department of Homeland Security) has allowed for border security infrastructure to be strategically located, including on federal lands, to meet DHS security requirement and goals.” (Deseret News, 4/14/10) Fact: While some… Read more »

House Natural Resources Committee Ranking Member Doc Hastings (WA-04), National Parks, Forests and Public Lands Subcommittee Ranking Member Rob Bishop (UT-01) and 16 additional Republican Members of Congress today sent a letter to the Chief of the U.S. Forest Service opposing the views expressed in a letter from House Democrats requesting that the Forest Service manage Recommended… Read more »

Securing the border is the first priority Washington Examiner Editorial April 19, 2010 A feud between the Departments of the Interior and Homeland Security over federal wilderness areas that constitute 40 percent of the nation's southern border has been undermining the mission of both agencies for nearly a decade. This adolescent refusal to cooperate threatens the security of all… Read more »