Today, House Committee on Natural Resources Ranking Member Bruce Westerman (R-Ark.) announced the subcommittee vice ranking members for the 117^th Congress. Westerman issued the following statement:

“We have such an incredible range of experience represented on the committee this Congress, which is why we’ve expanded our leadership to include vice ranking members. These are members who represent districts with significant interests in their respective subcommittees, and I know they’ll be fantastic assets to both the ranking members and the subcommittee members. As we prepare to take back the House in 2022, experienced leadership is essential. With this team at the helm, we are off to a great start.” 

Insular Affairs 

Vice Ranking Member Amata Coleman Radewagen (R-American Samoa)

“I’m delighted to serve as Vice Ranking Member for Insular Affairs, allowing me to emphasize the issues of utmost importance to the territories. I appreciate the opportunity from Committee Ranking Member Westerman to work in this direct way on these priorities, and look forward to working with Ranking Member for Insular Affairs Jenniffer Gonzalez-Colon.”

Energy and Mineral Resources Subcommittee

Vice Ranking Member Yvette Herrell (R-N.M.)

“Nearly one-third of the land in New Mexico is managed by the federal government. Managing that land well is vitally important to the communities I serve. Our state depends on it for jobs and school funding, and the nation depends on it for more than half of all the onshore oil produced on federal lands. The opportunity to serve in a leadership role on the Energy and Mineral Resources Subcommittee is both an honor and a reminder of how important these issues are to New Mexico.”

Indigenous Peoples of the United States Subcommittee

Vice Ranking Member Jay Obernolte (R-Calif.)

“I am proud to represent California’s 8^th district’s many tribes and strong indigenous heritage. It is an honor to serve as Vice Ranking Member of the Indigenous Peoples of the United States Subcommittee, and I look forward to working with Rep. Don Young and my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to further tribal interests and promote native sovereignty.”

National Parks, Forests, and Public Lands Subcommittee

Vice Ranking Member Tom Tiffany (R-Wis)

“America’s vast public estate was intended to be a ‘Land of Many Uses,’ one defined by open public access, opportunities for recreation, responsible resource development, and sound management.  In recent years, however, that multiple-use use ethic has slowly given way to a sentiment of ‘No Trespassing,’ harming small town economies and trapping land managers in a byzantine strait-jacket of federal rules and regulations. The results have been clear: Poorly managed public lands susceptible to catastrophic wildfires that destroy valuable resources, critical habitat and threaten life and property. I look forward to working with my colleagues on the panel to restore the health of our federal lands, revitalize rural America and make sure the federal government lives up to its multiple-use promise.”

Oversight and Investigations Subcommittee

Vice Ranking Member Blake Moore (R-Utah.)

“It is an honor to be Vice Ranking Member of the Natural Resources Oversight and Investigations Subcommittee. I look forward to using this leadership opportunity to hold federal agencies accountable as we work across the aisle for more effective management of our lands and resources nationwide. It is imperative that we conduct proper oversight of the administration’s policies regarding our resources, and I will advocate for the interests of the First District and Utah as we fight for transparency and efficiency.”

Water, Oceans, and Wildlife Subcommittee

Vice Ranking Member Jerry Carl (R-Ala.)

“South Alabama is abundantly blessed with natural resources, including the incredibly diverse Mobile River ecosystem and our vibrant Red Snapper population, and these resources are critical to our local economy and our way of life. I couldn’t be more excited for the opportunity to protect and promote these resources as Vice Ranking Member for the Subcommittee on Water, Oceans, and Wildlife.”