Washington, D.C. — A new column from the Center for American Progress shows how U.S. Secretary of the Interior David Bernhardt has repeatedly disregarded Congress’ oversight role and the rule of law to push a destructive anti-conservation agenda.
The column comes as Secretary Bernhardt helps plan President Donald Trump’s personal July 4 celebration that will spend millions of dollars featuring military aircraft and possibly even tanks rolling through the streets.
Bernhardt has ignored Congress to promote drilling near protected sites, shrugged off federal ethics law requirements, and skirted transparency laws by deleting calendars and leaving meetings off his schedule. In his rush to undo protections for land, water, and wildlife, Bernhardt’s agency has also attempted to short circuit the regulatory process and ignore science in ways that have not held up to judicial scrutiny.
“The courts have begun to provide an important check on Bernhardt’s department, but Congress should continue its oversight role to expose Bernhardt’s executive overreach, disregard for the public, and disrespect for the law,” said Marc Rehmann, author of the column and senior campaign manager for the Law of the Land Project at CAP.
Read the column: “The Bernhardt Doctrine: Dismissing Rules and Dodging Oversight” by Marc Rehmann
For more information or to speak with an expert, please contact Sam Hananel at [email protected] or 202-478-6327.