Talk:Congressional Western Caucus

Priorities

The Congressional Western Caucus is working to advance six basic objectives:

Principle 1 – (Economic Growth): Members of the Western Caucus seek to eliminate federal impediments that are stifling economic growth, hindering job creation, driving up costs and preventing economic prosperity. Economic growth and conservation are not mutually exclusive goals and can be accomplished by promoting balanced, commonsense policies.[5]

Principle 2 – (American Energy Security): Our Members support policies that increase, diversify and facilitate the production and delivery of reliable and affordable energy. The Caucus seeks to promote access to our nation’s energy and resource potential while pursuing a true all-of-the-above energy approach that aims to ensure the U.S. is the global energy leader.[6]

Principle 3 – (Local Control): Stewardship of our environment and natural resources is best accomplished by empowering local stakeholders. The people who depend on the land to provide security for their families and communities understand those resources best. States and municipalities are better suited to deal with local issues than distant, out-of-touch Washington bureaucrats. [7]

Principle 4 – (Private Property Rights): Private ownership of property is a fundamental right in America. Along with that ownership comes a certain expectation that landowners will be able to legally use their land as they see fit, so long as others are not harmed. Members of the Western Caucus pursue policies that protect private property from federal government takings and intrusions, consistent with our Constitution.[8]

Principle 5 – (Multiple-Use): The multiple-use doctrine ensures that the resources and uses on federal lands must be utilized in a balanced combination that best meets the needs of the American people. Members of the Western Caucus advocate for public involvement in the planning process and strive to increase access on public lands for activities like hiking, hunting, fishing, OHV use, responsible energy production and grazing. [9]

Principle 6 – (Agriculture and Forestry):Western Caucus members support policies that ensure affordable and safe domestic food production for American families. Maintaining healthy forests through active management is also a top priority for the Caucus. [10]

Issues

   Agriculture
   American Energy Security
   Economy and Jobs
   Endangered Species Act and Wildlife
   Federal Land Management
   Healthy Forests
   Local Control and States Rights
   Multiple-Use
   PILT and Secure Rural Schools
   Property Rights
   Water

Major Victories

   Secured additional $576.5 million for wildfires and active forest management language.[11]
   Blocked the power-grabbing BLM Planning 2.0 rule through public law.[12]
   Passed active forest management provisions and a budget fix into law.[13]
   Spearheaded effort that cancelled a 425,000-acre land grab in Northern Minnesota.[14]
   Passed a bill into law to protect the Pacific Northwest Fisheries.[15]
   Led effort to scrap the 10-million-acre Sage Grouse mineral withdrawal.[16]
   Prevented the sale of the transmission assets of three of the Power Marketing Administrations and the Tennessee Valley Authority.[17]
   Opened up Section 1002 for responsible energy production via law.[18]
   Passed the Electricity Reliability and Forest Protection Act into law.[19]
   Prevented a new “dirt tax” and new fees for hardrock mining. [20]
   Led the Congressional effort on monument reviews that shrunk the footprint in Utah by more than 2 million acres.[21]
   Authored and passed a provision into law that expanded Good Neighbor forest management authority to counties. [22]
   Blocked outrageous fee increases that threatened whitewater rafting and outfitter jobs.[23]
   Passed bill through House to protect the operations of the four Lower Snake River Dams.[24]
   Authored and passed provision through the House to modernize ESA habitat requirements. [25]
   Blocked an overreaching rule via law that harmed hunting and wildlife management in Alaska.[26]
   Authored House-passed amendment redirecting $32.5 million to reclaim abandoned mines.[27]
   Passed legislation and convinced the Administration to build a life-saving road in Alaska.[28]
   Passed legislation that creates a one-stop permitting process for new water storage projects.[29]