Eastern Washington Congresswoman Cathy McMorris Rodgers (WA-05), Chair of the House Republican Conference, released the following statement after the House passed the Department of the Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2017 (H.R. 5538).

“Eastern Washington is home to some of the greatest natural resources in the world,” said McMorris Rodgers. “Our local communities and their leaders know how to manage their own land and the resources around them better than federal bureaucrats. This legislation includes key provisions that will help keep our communities safe from wildfires, protect farmers from overzealous EPA regulations, and maintain our beautiful, abundant public land as a recreational outlet for all walks of life.”

Note: The bill includes several provisions McMorris Rodgers championed for Eastern Washington, including:

• Increased funding for wildfire prevention and firefighting consistent with the ten-year average.
• Fully funding the Payment in Lieu of Taxes program and prohibiting implementation of the Waters of the U.S. rule, a sweeping new regulation that will let the EPA micromanage everyone from our farmers to local landowners.
• Requires delisting of the Gray Wolf as an endangered species.