Rep. Ruben Gallego Statement on President Trump’s Decision to Shrink Bears Ears National Monument
WASHINGTON, DC – Rep. Ruben Gallego released the following statement in response to President Donald Trump's announcement that he would drastically shrink the Bears Ears National Monument.
Last week, Rep. Gallego introduced a bill (HR 4518) that would protect the original acreage identified by the tribes as needing federal protection. The bill currently has 25 cosponsors.
"President Trump's reckless decision to remove protections for these sacred lands is unprecedented. Tribal nations have fought for years to safeguard their irreplaceable natural and cultural heritage, and with the swoop of a pen, Donald Trump is eliminating those hard-won protections.
"As a nation, we have a moral responsibility to conserve our cultural and natural history and resources for future generations. My bill will provide permanent protection for these important ancestral sites. Our public lands belong to all of us, and I'm proud to be leading the fight to preserve these places and stories for our children and grandchildren."
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