House Natural Resources Committee Ranking Member Doc Hastings (WA-04) and National Parks, Forests and Public Lands Subcommittee Ranking Member Rob Bishop (UT-01) will introduce a Resolution of Inquiry today that is aimed at requiring the Secretary of the Interior to turn over to the House of Representatives specific information related to potential National Monument designations.  Hastings, Bishop and 14 Members of Congress sent a letter to Secretary Salazar in February requesting further information related to an internal DOI document that revealed the Administration is considering designating 13 million acres of land as National Monuments using the Antiquities Act.  While the letter requested the information no later than Friday, March 26, 2010, the Committee has yet to receive the documents.

“These documents were requested over six weeks ago and not one page has been turned over by the Department.  Since Committee Republicans disclosed seven pages of this internal document, the Interior Secretary has repeatedly made public statements that there is ‘no secret agenda’ and that this was merely a ‘brainstorming’ exercise.  Despite these efforts to explain away what the Department was doing, there has been zero effort to be open and transparent by publicly disclosing documents on the Department’s actions.  The American people deserve to know exactly why Obama Administration officials were discussing plans on locking up 13 million acres of land that could be used for recreation, economic development, energy production and job creation.  It’s unfortunate that we have to go through such lengths to get simple answers to simple questions but we’re prepared to hold the President to his word on transparency and open government,” said Hastings.

“It has been a month and a half since the date of our initial request and yet we still haven’t heard back from the DOI.  There is only one reason Secretary Salazar would be keeping these documents hidden from public view, and that is because they provide further proof that the Administration has in fact been planning to lock up millions of acres of land throughout the West without input from local residents, officials and stakeholders.  What else are they hiding?  The lack of regard for all Westerners who stand to be affected by the unilateral designation of massive National Monuments is further evidence that the West is under siege by this Administration,” said Bishop.

House rules provide that the Democrat Majority on the Committee has 14 legislative days to report the Resolution of Inquiry or it can be brought to the Floor of the House of Representatives for a vote as a Privileged Resolution.  The Resolution of Inquiry seeks the information requested in the February 26, 2010 letter as well as additional information on potential DOI land actions.

# # #

Print version of this document