Following the Jan. 6 riot at the U.S. Capitol, the Department of the Interior (DOI) Inspector General opened a programmatic review of U.S. Park Police actions and other activities that occurred on national park property. House Committee on Natural Resources Ranking Member Bruce Westerman (R-Ark.) issued the following statement in response: 

“I was at the Capitol on January 6, and experienced firsthand the chaos and destruction that took place during the riot. We can never let something like this happen again. To that end, it’s imperative that we have thorough reviews into the conduct of all government agencies involved. While Capitol grounds fall under the jurisdiction of U.S. Capitol Police, activities on the National Mall are subject to U.S. Park Police enforcement. I applaud the DOI Inspector General for initiating a review of DOI actions on Jan. 6. Objective oversight is essential, and I have already directed my committee staff to engage the Inspector General and ensure I remain informed throughout this process. It is my hope that Chairman Grijalva and Committee Democrats work on these issues in a bipartisan fashion. I look forward to further information as the Inspector General conducts this review.”

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