Today, House Natural Resources Committee Ranking Republican Rob Bishop (R-Utah) sent letters to former Presidents Bill Clinton, George W. Bush, and Barack Obama, to invite each former president to appear before the House Committee on Natural Resources. The Antiquities Act allows Presidents to unilaterally create national monuments on federal lands where objects of antiquity are at risk – without public participation, congressional review, or fulfilling any procedural requirements. Bishop views the former presidents as uniquely positioned to educate members as the Committee conducts oversight on the topic.

“[President Barack Obama] used the Antiquities Act 34 times to proclaim approximately 553,599,880 acres of land and water as national monuments. In my state, despite overwhelming opposition at almost every level of government, you designated the Bears Ears National Monument in San Juan County... As we seek to improve these processes, your perspective would be of tremendous value to our members and the public.”
– Ranking Republican Rob Bishop, said in a letter to former President Barack Obama.

"There are, however, several limitations on this power. One relates to the size of a monument, which “shall be confined to the smallest area compatible with the proper care and management of the objects to be protected.” Presidents increasingly ignore Congress’s clear intent in this regard...For example, you stood on the north rim of the Grand Canyon in Arizona to declare your creation of the nearly 1.9-million-acre Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument in Utah, an area larger than several Eastern states combined."
– Ranking Republican Rob Bishop, said in a letter to former President Bill Clinton.

“…you designated over 323,437 square miles of ocean. These permanent, unilateral designations lack the level of scientific rigor, direct industry input, transparency, and necessary time and deliberation that is essential to sound, scientifically-based policy-making decisions.”
– Ranking Republican Rob Bishop, said in a letter to former President George W. Bush.

Letter to former President Barack Obama can be found HERE.

Letter to former President Bill Clinton can be found HERE.

Letter to former President George W. Bush letter can be found HERE.