Congratulations to President Donald Trump and Vice President Mike Pence on being sworn in as the 45th President and Vice President of the United States! Arizonans are ready to get to work on Making America Great Again!

I was honored to be joined by so many of you who made the trip to Washington D.C. to witness this historic event in person. There is a lot to be excited about in the coming year but there is much work to be done. I look forward to hitting the ground running on your behalf.

VICTORY!

ARIZONANS SUCCESSFUL IN EFFORT TO BLOCK 1.7 MILLION ACRE LAND GRAB

As Barack Obama’s presidency ended this past Friday, Arizonans can celebrate knowing that they successfully blocked a massive federal land grab which threatened to stifle economic development and kill jobs in our rural communities.

In the face of environmental extremists teaming up with a president hell-bent on abusing the Antiquities Act, Arizonans united in one voice to oppose more of our land being unilaterally locked-up by the federal government. I was honored to lead the charge against this misguided land grab for our communities.

But this was a team effort and this massive victory is a result of the tireless work by local stakeholders and grassroots groups who united with my office to send a clear message of opposition all the way to the Oval Office.

While we were successful in our efforts to block this monument designation in Arizona, there is still much work to be done during the Trump Administration to rein in the outdated Antiquities Act. Local communities deserve to have their voices heard before a president can lock up millions of acres of land with one stroke of a pen.

I continue to call on President Trump to repeal the land grabs executed by former President Obama where significant local opposition was present including Bears Ears, Utah and Clark County, Nevada.

REACTIONS FROM AROUND ARIZONA:

Mohave County Supervisor Buster Johnson: “Clearly, successfully blocking this effort by the federal government is a huge success story for Arizona and vitally important for Mohave County. My first meeting with Congressman Gosar was in 2010 at a meeting fighting this overreach and he never gave up. Future economic development can now proceed as we move to both preserve the natural beauty of the nearly 2 million acres and create new jobs and opportunities as well. This is a massive victory.”

Arizona Chamber of Commerce and Industry President and CEO Glenn Hamer: “We are extremely pleased that the Obama administration has come to an end without designating a huge swath of northern Arizona as a national monument. Doing so would have been a monumental mistake. But this was a close call. We look forward to working with the new Congress to reform the Antiquities Act to ensure that even the potential of a similar land grab can’t occur again.”

Chairman of the Arizona Game and Fish Commission Kurt Davis: “We are thankful that the preservation of the multi-use doctrine has been protected and that the effective conservation of wildlife can continue on these lands.”

Arizona water law expert and attorney Bob Lynch: “What most people don't know is that defeating this proposal, especially the Executive action, dodges troubling unresolved water rights issues that could threaten water conservation at Lake Mead. Thank you, Congressman Gosar!”

PRESIDENT TRUMP'S EPA PICK GOES BEFORE THE SENATE

This past Wednesday the U.S. Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works held a Nomination Hearing for President Trump’s nominee for EPA Administrator, Oklahoma Attorney General Scott Pruitt:

Attorney General Pruitt’s level headed, constitutional and fact-based approach to the issues that face the Environmental Protection Agency will prove him to be an excellent Administrator. He will return the EPA to upholding its core mission of protecting our air and water, as opposed to using the Agency as a political weapon to force a partisan agenda on the American people.

I am delighted we share the sentiment that supporting the environment and opposing the Obama Administration’s overreaching EPA regulations are not mutually exclusive.

PRESIDENT TRUMP PICKS ARIZONA'S CARLYLE BEGAY AS ADVISOR

Congratulations to my friend and former State Senator Carlyle Begay on being named President Trumps new White House Advisor on Indian Affairs! Carlyle is a great addition to Trump's team at The White House.

As always, you can follow everything I am working on in Arizona and Washington, D.C. through my website (http://gosar.house.gov) on Twitter @RepGosar, through Facebook at Rep. Paul Gosar or on Instagram at RepGosar.

Sincerely,
Paul A. Gosar, D.D.S.
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