Reporting H.R. 1459 Out of Committee (Passed 26-14. View Roll Call Vote)
This bill would the Antiquities Act to require that the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) apply to presidential declarations. This bill prevents future abuse and backdoor maneuvers to lock up lands without local input.

Grijalva Amendment .025 – Undermines Legislation and Exempts Unilateral Presidential Decrees From Transparent and Public Process (Failed by Voice Vote)
This amendment would undermine the intent of the legislation and unnecessarily bypass statutory protections for historic or cultural resources and sacred sites by exempting it from the transparent and public process required in H.R. 1459. Numerous laws passed since 1906 grant procedural and substantive protections to federal lands, especially historic, cultural or sacred sites. The amendment could be interpreted so expansively and subjectively that they become unlimited exemptions from the openness and public participation goals in the bill.

Tsongas Amendment .027– Undermines Legislation and Exempts Unilateral Presidential Decrees From Transparent and Public Process (Failed 13-24. View Roll Call Vote)
This amendment would undermine the intent of the legislation and unnecessarily bypass statutory protections for historic or cultural resources related to American military history by exempting it from the transparent and public process included in H.R. 1459. There are numerous laws that already provide procedural and substantive protections to lands intended to be covered by the amendment. The amendment could be interpreted so expansively and subjectively that they become unlimited exemptions from the openness and public participation goals in the bill.

* For complete legislative action for the July 24, 2013 Full Committee Markup, click here.