Friends,
This week, Congress reconvened in D.C., and I was honored to be re-elected to serve another term as Chairman of the Congressional Western Caucus. I am so proud of the work Western Caucus Members have done to defend the values and priorities of rural America over the past two years, and we still have a lot of work to do.
With Republicans in the majority next Congress, it's going to be critical that we continue to hold the Biden Administration accountable and promote policies that strengthen our energy grid, support effective land and water management, and ensure the rural communities we represent can truly thrive.
I also want to extend congratulations to Western Caucus Members on their appointments to Republican leadership positions: our Republican nominee for Speaker Kevin McCarthy (CA-23), Majority Leader-elect Steve Scalise (LA-01), Whip-elect Tom Emmer (MN-06), and Republican Conference Chairwoman Elise Stefanik (NY-21)!
We've got a lot of work ahead of us, but the Western Caucus is ready to keep telling the stories of rural America. See below what we've been up to this week!
Sincerely,
Chairman Dan Newhouse
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MEMBER HIGHLIGHT:
CONNIE CONWAY, CALIFORNIA'S 22ND DISTRICT
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Yosemite National Park Equal Access and Fairness Act
Rep. Conway introduced legislation to open the Hetch Hetchy Valley to public recreation and ensure that Californians and visitors from across the country can access the reservoir for swimming, boating, and camping activities that are currently prohibited.
Click here to learn more.
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PROMOTING AMERICAN LEADERSHIP ON THE WORLD STAGE
REPUBLICAN DELEGATION AT COP27
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For the second year in a row, Western Caucus Members joined a Republican delegation to travel to COP27, the UN Climate Conference that was hosted in Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt. Vice Chairs John Curtis (UT-03) and Garret Graves (LA-06), Rep. Dan Crenshaw (TX-02), and Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks (IA-02) joined the Conservative Climate Foundation to discuss conservative climate solutions and the future of American climate policy.
The Members met with business and government leaders from the dozens of other nations represented at COP27 to share the strides the U.S. is making in lowering global emissions, advancing technology to strengthen our grid and protect the environment, and support ethical mining and energy development practices. Learn more about the trip here.
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TIME TO THINK SMALL
WESTERN CAUCUS MEMBER LUNCH
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We hosted a joint Member Lunch with the Conservative Climate Caucus with special guest, Todd Myers, Environment Director for the Washington Policy Center. Todd discussed actions we can all take to improve the environment and several steps he outlines in his recently released book, Time to Think Small: How Nimble Environmental Technologies Can Solve the Planet's Biggest Problems. From increasing transparency around energy prices at peak times of the day to scientifically tracking species habitat through an app, there are effective ways we can make progress to protect our environment without rushing to a Green New Deal agenda.
Western Caucus Members understand that protecting our environment is not a partisan issue, and many of our Members have proposed climate solutions that will result in clean air and water, well-managed landscapes, and healthy ecosystems across the country AND a thriving economy.
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IN OUR WORDS: OPINION PIECES
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Biden should end war on American energy
By Rep. August Pfluger (TX-11) and Rep. Ashley Hinson (IA-01)
The Biden administration is at a crossroads. They can expand California’s failed and expensive green energy mandates to the rest of the nation or invest in liquid fuels to restore American energy independence, make gas affordable again, and secure our energy future. If members from Iowa and Texas agree this is the best path forward, maybe there’s hope the Biden administration can too.
Click here to read more in the Washington Times.
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MEMBERS AT WORK FOR RURAL AMERICA
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Vice Chair John Curtis (UT-03) and Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks (IA-02) highlight Republican climate solutions at COP27.
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Rep. Russ Fulcher (ID-01) spoke in support of domestic mineral development at a Natural Resources markup.
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Rep. August Pfluger (TX-11) calls out the Biden Administration for acting to hinder state & local lesser prairie chicken species conservation efforts.
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Rep. Blake Moore (UT-01) met with the U.S. Geospatial Executives Organization to discuss his efforts to improve digital land mapping.
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