Congressmen Gosar and Flake introduce Arizona Land Sovereignty Act

Nine national monuments, major contributors to tourism economy,  are located in Arizona’s 1st Congressional District

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congressman Paul Gosar (AZ-01) and Congressman Jeff Flake (AZ-06) introduced H.R. 2877 the Arizona Land Sovereignty Act, legislation that ensures a public process for any decisions involving the designation of national monuments.  Arizona Republican Congressmen Ben Quayle (AZ-03) and David Schweikert (AZ-05) have also cosponsored the legislation. 

“The process to designate a National Monument should not be determined unilaterally by the President, especially when this designation has some of the most stringent restrictions on public access,” said Gosar.  “Nine national monuments, with major contributions to our tourism economy,  are located in Arizona’s First Congressional District, so I appreciate the need to protect these natural and historical treasures. However, the public deserves the opportunity to have their voices heard on any land designation that may restrict our right to access.  Our legislation will ensure that the designation of National Monuments is an open and transparent process.”

“Given that the vast majority of Arizona land is owned by the government, congress and the public ought to have the opportunity to weigh in on future land acquisitions by the administration,” said Flake.

In general, the ability to set aside federal land rested with congress; however the presidential power to establish national monuments on federals lands was established via The Antiquities Act of 1906.  The law was enacted over concerns about protecting mostly prehistoric Indian ruins and artifacts-collectively termed "antiquities "-on federal lands in the West.  By definition, the sites were to be very small—“the smallest area compatible” with preserving the antiquity.  Since given this power, many presidents, Republicans and Democrats, have abused it. Today, there are 71 national monuments located in 26 states, covering some 136 million acres.

According to a U.S. Interior Department memo that was leaked last year, the Obama Administration is considering new national monument designations totaling 13 million acres in 11 western states: Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, Utah, Washington and Wyoming.

In 1950, congress passed a law that prohibited the future establishment of national monuments in Wyoming except as authorized by congress. The Gosar-Flake legislation would provide Arizonans the same right to review and engage in decisions involving designations of national monuments.

Congressman Flake served on the House Committee on Natural Resources, the committee with jurisdiction over matters related to national monuments, introduced similar legislation, H.R. 4814, in the 111^th Congress.  Congressman Gosar serves as the lone Arizona Republican on the committee in the 112^th Congress.