Western Values Project Action released a hard-hitting advertisement telling Congressman Greg Gianforte to definitively clarify his position on public land protections and key legislation that is making its way through Congress after he voted for a bill that could put the Upper Missouri River Breaks National Monument on the chopping block.
“The Upper Missouri River Breaks is one of Montana’s most pristine pieces of protected public land that has changed little since the days of Lewis and Clark, and Montanans overwhelmingly support its continued protection,” said Chris Saeger, executive director of the Western Values Project. “It’s unfortunate that Congressman Gianforte voted for legislation that could risk the Breaks and have devastating impacts on public lands in Montana and across the West.”
The full-page ad, with a for sale to special interests sign in front of the Upper Missouri River Breaks, says that if Congressman Gianforte ‘truly supports public lands he needs to come out and say he’s against H.R. 4532 and H.R. 3990 – two bills among many in Congress that would end protections of our national treasures.’
H.R. 4532 would codify Trump’s reduction of Bears Ears National Monument and H.R. 3990 would eviscerate the Antiquities Act by allowing current and future Presidents to eliminate designated national monuments without congressional approval.
The ads are running in the Congressman’s hometown paper and prompt constituents to call Gianforte’s office seeking clarification on his positions.
“Given the strong opposition in his district to any legislation that undermines public land protections, one can only assume that Congressman Gianforte is listening instead to the special interests who want nothing more than to exploit our public lands for their own gain,” said Saeger.
The House Committee on Natural Resources held a hearing on Tuesday for H.R. 4532 and has already moved H.R. 3990 out of committee on a party-line vote with the support of Congressman Gianforte.
Also published on Medium.