Western Values Project Action is releasing another hard-hitting advertisement telling Congresswoman Jaime Herrera Beutler to definitively clarify her position on two bills that are currently making their way through Congress.
In a tele-town hall yesterday Congresswoman Herrera Beutler falsely claimed that no bill in Congress would put protections for public lands at risk. Click here to listen to her full response to the campaign calling on her to state her opposition to anti-public lands bills.
WVP Action’s full-page ad calls on Congresswoman Jaime Herrera Beutler “to come out and say she’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.
“While talking out of both sides of your mouth may work in Washington, D.C., people here in the West expect straight answers, especially on something that is as integral to our way of life as our public lands,” said Chris Saeger, executive director of Western Values Project Action. “Congresswoman Herrera Beutler keeps backing her way out of answering repeated requests to clarify her position on legislation that will have devastating impacts on public lands in Washington and across the West.”
The print advertisement follows television ads, radio ads and polling last month targeting Congresswoman Herrera Beutler on the Trump administration’s decision to unlawfully gut two million acres of protected public lands in Utah. Secretary Zinke made similar recommendations for other national monuments across the West.
The ads will run in the Congresswoman’s district and prompt constituents to call Herrera Beutler’s office seeking clarification on her positions. Last month’s poll found, by a 20-point margin, that her constituents oppose legislation to codify the reductions to Bears Ears and Grand Staircase national monuments.
“Given the strong opposition in her district to any legislation that undermines public land protections, one can only assume that Congresswoman Herrera Beutler 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.
Also published on Medium.