Raúl M. Grijalva

Roles: Special Guest

Chair Raúl M. Grijalva (D-Ariz.) has represented Southern Arizona in the U.S. House of Representatives since 2002. He is one of Congress’ most outspoken champions for endangered species, wilderness, national parks, public lands, and stronger oil and gas regulations. He authored the National Landscape Conservation System Act and the Federal Lands Restoration Act, both of which President Obama signed into law in 2009 as part of the Omnibus Public Land Management Act. After he became Chair of the Natural Resources Committee at the beginning of 2019, Congress passed the historic John D. Dingell, Jr. Conservation, Management, and Recreation Act, which, among many other important accomplishments, included permanent reauthorization of the Land and Water Conservation Fund – a widely supported program that previous Republican leaders on the Committee had opposed.Since becoming the top Democrat on the Committee in 2015, Grijalva has focused on diversifying the environmental movement beyond traditional activist groups. He has especially emphasized participation in environmental decision-making by Latino organizations, Native American tribes and other traditionally underrepresented communities, and in June 2019 led a historic convening of environmental justice advocates from across the country on Capitol Hill. He has a lifetime 96 percent score from the League of Conservation Voters and is widely recognized as a national leader on public lands and habitat conservation.Chair Grijalva remains one of Congress’ foremost advocates for protecting our open spaces, defending tribal sovereignty and treaty rights, respecting our bedrock environmental laws, and restoring the values of long-term planning and environmental stewardship to our nation’s economy.