Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) joined 23 Democratic senators in re-introducing the ANTIQUITIES Act of 2019, which protects national monuments and establishes new wilderness areas in Nevada.
“Nevadans take great pride in our national monuments, Gold Butte and Basin and Range, as well as the Silver State’s many other natural treasures. Our public lands are an essential part of our outdoor economy, sustain thousands of good-paying jobs, and have deep cultural and historical value,” said Senator Cortez Masto. “As this Administration continues to dismantle federal protections for our public lands, I’m fighting to preserve Nevada’s pristine natural beauty for future generations.”
The ANTIQUITIES Act of 2019 was introduced by Senator Tom Udall (DN.M.). In addition to Senator Cortez Masto, the bill is also cosponsored by Senators Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Cory Booker (DN.J.), Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii), Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.), Kamala Harris (D-Calif.), Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), Tina Smith (D-Minn.), Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.), Martin Heinrich (DN.M.), Kristen Gillibrand (DN.Y.), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Patty Murray (D-Wash.), Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.), Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii), Richard J. Durbin (D-Ill.), Ben Cardin (D-Md.), Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), Jacky Rosen (D-Nev.), Christopher Murphy (D-Conn.) and Michael Bennet (D-Colo.), and U.S. Representatives Ben Ray Luján (DN.M.), Ruben Gallego (D-Ariz.) and 75 other members of the House of Representatives.
BACKGROUND:
This legislation is also supported by the National Parks Conservation Association, Conservation Lands Foundation, Natural Resources Defense Council, The Wilderness Society, League of Conservation Voters, EarthJustice, Sierra Club, Friends of Gold Butte and Friends of Nevada Wilderness.
The original Antiquities Act of 1906 codified that the power to diminish or reduce presidential proclamations for national monument designations lies only with Congress – not the executive branch.
The America’s Natural Treasures of Immeasurable Quality Unite, Inspire, and Together Improve the Economies of States (ANTIQUITIES) Act of 2019 counters the systematic efforts by the Trump administration to roll back federal protections for millions of acres of public lands.
Full text of the bill is available here.
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