Today, the Subcommittee on Water, Wildlife and Fisheries held a legislative hearing on House Committee on Natural Resources Chairman Bruce Westerman's (R-Ark.) bill, the America's Wildlife Habitat Conservation Act. This legislation would provide states and tribes with the necessary resources to implement habitat restoration projects vital to preventing the listing of species and to… Read more »

Last week, House Committee on Natural Resources Chairman Bruce Westerman (R-Ark.) led a group of 20 members in introducing H.R. 7408, the America's Wildlife Habitat Conservation Act. "The Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies appreciates Chairman Westerman’s commitment to providing funding to state fish and wildlife agencies for wildlife habitat restoration in the America’s… Read more »

Today, House Committee on Natural Resources Chairman Bruce Westerman (R-Ark.) rolled out the America's Wildlife Habitat Conservation Act (AWHCA). Westerman issued the following statement in response: “The America's Wildlife Habitat Conservation Act will empower states and local communities to use proven practices to restore and maintain habitat, which will… Read more »

Today, the Subcommittee on Water, Wildlife and Fisheries held a legislative hearing on four bills improving access to public waters, addressing maintenance needs of our aging irrigation infrastructure, reauthorizing important groundwater monitoring programs and ensuring federal power agencies will be able to uphold their statutory obligations. Subcommittee Chairman Cliff Bentz (R-Ore.)… Read more »

Yesterday, the Subcommittee on Water, Wildlife and Fisheries held a legislative hearing on seven bills covering a wide variety of issues, including Endangered Species Act (ESA) reforms, species management improvements, water resource support and the elimination of regulatory delays. Subcommittee Chairman U.S. Rep. Cliff Bentz (R-Ore.) issued the following statement in… Read more »

Today, Subcommittee on Water, Wildlife and Fisheries Chairman Cliff Bentz (R-Ore.) hosted a field hearing with House Committee on Energy and Commerce Chair Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-Wash.), Congressional Western Caucus Chairman Dan Newhouse (R-Wash.) and U.S. Rep. Mike Collins (R-Ga.) titled, "The Northwest at Risk: the Environmentalist’s Effort to Destroy Navigation, Transportation, and… Read more »

Today, the Subcommittee on Water, Wildlife and Fisheries held an oversight hearing on the impacts of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) proposed changes to the North Atlantic Right Whale Vessel Strike Reduction Rule. Subcommittee Chairman Cliff Bentz (R-Ore.) released the following statement in response: “Unfortunately, NOAA is promulgating policies that do… Read more »

Today, the Subcommittee on Water, Wildlife and Fisheries held an oversight hearing on the president's Fiscal Year (FY) 2024 budget request for the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation (BOR), the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and the Power Marketing Administrations (PMAs). Subcommittee Chairman Cliff Bentz (R-Ore.) released the… Read more »

Today, Subcommittee on Water, Wildlife and Fisheries Chairman Cliff Bentz (R-Ore.) and Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations Chairman Paul Gosar (R-Ariz.) sent a letter to National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Administrator Richard Spinrad regarding NOAA's recent reversal on supporting continued operations of the dams on the Lower Snake River. In part, the… Read more »

Today, the Subcommittee on Water, Wildlife, and Fisheries held a hearing on legislation centered around reforms to the Endangered Species Act (ESA). Subcommittee Chairman Cliff Bentz (R-Ore.) issued the following statement in response: “Today’s Water, Wildlife, and Fisheries Subcommittee Legislative Hearing focused on three joint resolutions under the Congressional… Read more »