Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, today joined President Trump at the White House for the signing ceremony of the Congressional Review Act (CRA) disapproval resolution, H.J. Res. 44, which overturns the Bureau of Land Management’s (BLM) “Planning 2.0” rule. The resolution passed the U.S. Senate with 51 votes and the U.S. House of Representatives with 234 votes.

“When President Trump took office, he talked about returning power to the people, and he did just that today through the repeal of BLM’s Planning 2.0 rule,” Murkowski said. “The repeal of this onerous land management planning rule returns power and decision-making authority back to local and state entities in Alaska and western states. If left intact, it would have harmed grazing, timber, energy development, mineral production, and even recreation on federal lands. Now, those who actually live near BLM lands will once again make planning decisions—not those who work thousands of miles away at BLM headquarters in Washington, D.C.”

Official White House Photo by Benjamin Tuck

Murkowski sponsored the Senate version of the disapproval resolution (S.J. Res. 15) for BLM’s Planning 2.0 rule. Seventeen of her colleagues, including every Republican from a western state with BLM lands within its borders, joined her as cosponsors.

Rep. Liz Cheney, R-Wyo., sponsored the House resolution (H.J. Res. 44), which passed that chamber with 234 votes in February.

“I am proud to see H.J. Res 44, overturning BLM Planning 2.0., signed into law today by President Trump. The rule we overturn today would have had far reaching and damaging implications on public lands and our economy in Wyoming. Planning 2.0 would have given the federal government and radical environmental groups control over land use and resource planning in our state, at the expense of local officials and stakeholders,” Cheney said.

Nearly 90 stakeholder groups supported eliminating the rule, including the National Association of Counties, the American Farm Bureau Federation, the National Mining Association, the Public Lands Council, the Alaska Chamber of Commerce, Alaska Chapter of the Safari Club International, Alaska Forest Association, Alaska Miners Association, Alaska Municipal League, the Alaska Oil and Gas Association, Alaska Support Industry Alliance, and the Alaska Trucking Association.

Murkowski is chairman of the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.

https://www.energy.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/republican-news?ID=BA487B45-1865-4C0A-B1E0-AD55E4FC9977

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