Claims About Frank Riggs’ “Environmental Record” Are Flatly Wrong and Very Misleading

At a recent Legislative District meeting, an opponent of Frank Riggs, who is also running for Arizona Superintendent of Public Instruction, asserted that two bills co-sponsored by former Congressman Riggs "…crippled the logging industry" and "crippled the fishing industry."  The fact is that Congressman Riggs did exactly the opposite!  His bills helped those industries!  He was one of the strongest supporters in Congress of the resource-based industries and private property rights.  Because of his opposition to the extreme environmental movement, eco-terrorists targeted Riggs and even rampaged through his office vandalizing it and dragging in a tree stump and chaining themselves to it.

Here is the Truth, as stated by Candidate Riggs: 

"I was one of the strongest defenders of the forest products and commercial fishing industries in Congress because of their importance to the economy and the livelihoods of many of my constituents in the northern part of my congressional district.  My former congressional colleagues and staff members will attest to that fact.

"The two bills cited, H.R. 3467 and H.R. 3498, were supported by the forest products and commercial fishing industries respectively.  In fact, the bills enabled those resource industries, the lifeblood of that region, to survive.  They didn’t "cripple" those industries.  Anyone who makes such assertions has never visited the region or spoken to anyone who made their living in those industries.

"Former Congressman John Doolittle, one of the most conservative members of Congress, was the primary author/sponsor of H.R. 3467.  His district, like mine, contained significant forestland.  I’m sure he’d be surprised to hear he sponsored legislation that "crippled" the forest products industry.  In fact, John and I, along with our colleague, Congressman Richard Pombo, led the fight to reform the Endangered Species Act.   See Enough is Enough.  For my efforts, I was labeled one of the "Dirty Dozen" by the League of Conservation Voters, Sierra Club, Wilderness League, and all the other far-left environmental groups.

"My all female staff had just opened my congressional district office in Eureka, California in October 1997 when two men wearing ski masks and dark clothing burst in, rampaging through and vandalizing the office as my staff fled out the back door.  The men then wheeled a large tree stump into my office and four young women chained themselves around it using "metal sleeves."  After hours of attempting to persuade them to release from these devices, the police used pepper spray dabbed around their eyes to force them to release at which point they were arrested for criminal trespass, vandalism, and resisting arrest. 

"The arrestees said they were with a radical environmental group, Earth First, known for engaging in eco-terrorist activities, and were protesting my refusal to introduce legislation protecting more "old growth" forests as spotted owl habitat.  After I spoke on the House floor about the increasingly dangerous tactics of Earth First and other far-left radical environmental groups, and in defense of my staff and law enforcement, I was vilified in the media nationally and received numerous death threats and other abuseSee (excerpt from) Terrorism: A Documentary and Reference Guide

"I’ve been a proud resident of Arizona for 15 years.  My wife Cathy is a native daughter of Arizona and we have three Arizona-born grandchildren.  I conscientiously and diligently served the constituents I was privileged to represent in Congress, and I will bring the same commitment to duty, service and integrity to the office of Superintendent of Public Instruction."

All Information (Except Text) for H.R.3467 – California Spotted Owl Interim Protection Act of 1998. 105th Congress (1997-1998). Listen to summary of bill.  There is one summary for H.R.3467.  (Bill summaries are authored by CRS.)

Introduced in House (03/17/1998)

California Spotted Owl Interim Protection Act of 1998 – Directs the U.S. Forest Service: (1) within six months, to begin using the preferred alternative contained in the revised version of the draft environmental impact statement (EIS) prepared by the Service in 1996 for the California spotted owl as its interim management direction for the owl in the ten national forests in the Sierran Province of Region 5 of the Service; and (2) to use such preferred alternative, modified as required below, as its interim management direction until such time as a final EIS and record of decision are released.

Directs the Service: (1) before implementation of the preferred alternative, to evaluate and modify the assessment regarding fire and fuels reduction contained in the revised draft EIS to address the concerns raised in the December 1997 final report of the panel of scientists that was appointed by the Secretary of Agriculture to review the revised draft EIS; (2) within 18 months, to complete a final EIS and record of decision; and (3) within 12 months, to issue a proposed final EIS for public comment and review.

Specifies that: (1) nothing in this Act shall preclude the Service from developing a long-term conservation strategy for the Sierra Nevada Mountains; and (2) the Secretary shall submit to the Congress a report every six months describing the Service’s progress toward completion of the final EIS within the specified time periods.

All Information (Except Text) for H.R.3498 – Dungeness Crab Conservation and Management Act.  105th Congress (1997-1998).  Listen to 2 summaries of bill.  [Reported to House with amendment(s) (08/04/1998) \/]   

(Bill summaries are authored by CRS.)

Reported to House with amendment(s) (08/04/1998)

Dungeness Crab Conservation and Management Act – Authorizes each of the States of Washington, Oregon, and California to adopt and enforce laws and regulations governing fishing and processing in the exclusive economic zone (EEZ) adjacent to that State in any Dungeness crab fishery for which there is no management plan in effect under the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act. Prohibits harvesting or processing Dungeness crab in the EEZ adjacent to those States except as authorized by a permit issued by any of those States or under certain tribal rights. Removes related interim authority provisions of the Sustainable Fisheries Act.

See Also:

RiggsForAZ.com

Frank Riggs Record of Leadership 

Legislation Co-Authored by Frank Riggs might help to Overturn Onerous Education Regulations

As you might know, the Congressional Review Act which Rep. Riggs co-authored/sponsored has been used by the Trump Administration and the current Congress (under a Resolution of Disapproval) to repeal 14 major regulations enacted in the last 90 days of the Obama Administration (including the latest regulations under the Every Student Succeeds Act, aka the Elementary and Secondary Education Act).

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Frank Riggs for Arizona Superintendent of Public Instruction

Riggs’ Congressional Record on education issues   

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