United States House Committee on Natural Resources

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Wikipedia

House Natural Resources Committee
Standing committee
Active

United States House of Representatives
119th Congress
History
Formed1991
SucceededCommittee on Interior and Insular Affairs
Formerly known asCommittee on Resources
Leadership
ChairBruce Westerman (R)
Since January 3, 2023
Ranking memberJared Huffman (D)
Since January 4, 2025
Structure
Seats45
Political partiesMajority (25)
  •   Republican (25)
Minority (20)
Jurisdiction
Policy areasEnergy development, mining, mineral rights, wildlife, fisheries, public lands, oceans, Native Americans
Oversight authorityDepartment of Energy
Senate counterpartSenate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources
Subcommittees
Meeting place
1324 Longworth House Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20515
Website
naturalresources.house.gov (Republican)
democrats-naturalresources.house.gov (Democratic)
Rules

    The U.S. House Committee on Natural Resources or Natural Resources Committee (often referred to as simply Resources) is a Congressional committee of the United States House of Representatives. Originally called the Committee on Interior and Insular Affairs (1951), the name was changed to the Committee on Natural Resources in 1991. The name was shortened to the Committee on Resources in 1995 by the new chair, Don Young (at the same time, the committee took over the duties of the now-defunct Merchant Marine and Fisheries Committee). Following the Democratic takeover of the House of Representatives in 2006, the name of the committee was changed back to its title used between 1991 and 1995.[1]

    Jurisdiction

    1. Fisheries and wildlife, including research, restoration, refuges, and conservation.
    2. Forest reserves and national parks created from the public domain.
    3. Forfeiture of land grants and alien ownership, including alien ownership of mineral lands.
    4. Geological Survey.
    5. International fishing agreements.
    6. Interstate compacts relating to apportionment of waters for irrigation purposes.
    7. Irrigation and reclamation, including water supply for reclamation projects and easements of public lands for irrigation projects; and acquisition of private lands when necessary to complete irrigation projects.
    8. Native Americans generally, including the care and allotment of Native American lands and general and special measures relating to claims that are paid out of Native American funds.
    9. Insular areas of the United States generally (except those affecting the revenue and appropriations).
    10. Military parks and battlefields, national cemeteries administered by the Secretary of the Interior, parks within the District of Columbia, and the erection of monuments to the memory of individuals.
    11. Mineral land laws and claims and entries thereunder.
    12. Mineral resources of public lands.
    13. Mining interests generally.
    14. Mining schools and experimental stations.
    15. Marine affairs, including coastal zone management (except for measures relating to oil and other pollution of navigable waters).
    16. Oceanography.
    17. Petroleum conservation on public lands and conservation of the radium supply in the United States.
    18. Preservation of prehistoric ruins and objects of interest on the public domain.
    19. Public lands generally, including entry, easements, and grazing thereon.
    20. Relations of the United States with Native Americans and Native American tribes.
    21. Trans-Alaska Oil Pipeline (except ratemaking).[2][3]

    Members, 119th Congress

    Majority Minority

    Resolutions electing members: H.Res. 13 (Chair), H.Res. 14 (Ranking Member), H.Res. 42 (R), H.Res. 44 (D), H.Res. 55 (D), H.Res. 430 (Lee), H.Res. 887 (Grijalva)

    Subcommittees

    Representative Kevin McCarthy (R) at an oversight hearing of the House Natural Resources Subcommittee on Water and Power

    In the 111th Congress, the number of subcommittees was reduced from 5 to 4. The Subcommittees on Insular Affairs and Fisheries, Wildlife and Oceans were merged into the Subcommittee on Insular Affairs, Oceans and Wildlife. In the 112th Congress, the number was again increased to 5, adding the Subcommittee on Indian and Alaska Native Affairs.

    During the committee's official reorganization for the 113th Congress, the Subcommittee on National Parks, Forests and Public Lands was renamed the Subcommittee on Public Lands and Environmental Regulation[6]

    When former Chair Doc Hastings of Washington retired from Congress, Rob Bishop of Utah took over as the committee's new chair at the beginning of the 114th Congress. Congressman Bishop began the process of hiring new staff and reorganized the committee's structure as his predecessors had done.[7][8] The chair eliminated the Fisheries, Wildlife, Oceans and Insular Affairs subcommittee and split its duties between the renamed Indian, Insular and Alaska Native Affairs and Water, Power and Oceans subcommittees. The chair also created a new Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations, keeping the total number of subcommittees at five[9]

    The chair also transferred jurisdiction over the National Environmental Policy Act and the Endangered Species Act from the former Public Lands and Environmental Regulation and established a renamed the Subcommittee on Federal Lands.[9]

    Current subcommittees

    Subcommittee Chair[4] Ranking Member[10]
    Energy and Mineral Resources Pete Stauber (R-MN) Yassamin Ansari (D-AZ)
    Federal Lands Tom Tiffany (R-WI) Joe Neguse (D-CO)
    Indian and Insular Affairs Jeff Hurd (R-CO) Teresa Leger Fernandez (D-NM)
    Oversight and Investigations Paul Gosar (R-AZ) Maxine Dexter (D-OR)
    Water, Wildlife and Fisheries Harriet Hageman (R-WY) Val Hoyle (D-OR)

    Leadership

    Former chairs and ranking members are listed below.[11]

    Committee on Public Lands

    Chairs
    Name Party State Start End
    Andrew Gregg Democratic-Republican Pennsylvania 1805 1806
    John Boyle Democratic-Republican Kentucky 1806 1807
    Andrew Gregg Democratic-Republican Pennsylvania 1807
    John Boyle Democratic-Republican Kentucky 1807 1808
    Jeremiah Morrow Democratic-Republican Ohio 1808 1813
    Samuel McKee Democratic-Republican Kentucky 1813 1815
    Thomas Robertson Democratic-Republican Louisiana 1815 1818
    George Poindexter Democratic-Republican Mississippi 1818 1819
    Richard Anderson Democratic-Republican Kentucky 1819 1821
    Christopher Rankin Jacksonian Mississippi 1821 1826
    John Scott Anti-Jacksonian Missouri 1826 1827
    Jacob Isacks Jacksonian Tennessee 1827 1830
    Charles Wickliffe Jacksonian Kentucky 1830 1833
    Clement Clay Democratic Alabama 1833 1835
    Ratliff Boon Democratic Indiana 1835 1838
    Zadok Casey Democratic Illinois 1838 1839
    Thomas Corwin Whig Ohio 1839 1840
    Samson Mason Whig Ohio 1840
    Jeremiah Morrow Whig Ohio 1840 1841
    William Johnson Whig Maryland 1841
    Jeremiah Morrow Whig Ohio 1841 1842
    Reuben Chapman Democratic Alabama 1842
    Jeremiah Morrow Whig Ohio 1842 1843
    John Davis Democratic Indiana 1843 1845
    John McClernand Democratic Illinois 1845 1847
    Jacob Collamer Whig Vermont 1847 1849
    James Bowlin Democratic Missouri 1849 1851
    Willard Hall Democratic Missouri 1851 1853
    David Disney Democratic Ohio 1853 1855
    Henry Bennett Opposition New York 1855 1857
    Williamson Cobb Democratic Alabama 1857 1859
    Eli Thayer Republican Massachusetts 1859 1861
    John Potter Republican Wisconsin 1861 1863
    George Julian Republican Indiana 1863 1871
    John Ketcham Republican New York 1871 1873
    Washington Townsend Republican Pennsylvania 1873 1875
    Milton Sayler Democratic Ohio 1875 1877
    William Morrison Democratic Illinois 1877 1879
    George Converse Democratic Ohio 1879 1881
    Thaddeus Pound Republican Wisconsin 1881 1883
    Thomas Cobb Democratic Indiana 1883 1887
    William Holman Democratic Indiana 1887 1889
    Lewis Payson Republican Illinois 1889 1891
    Thomas McRae Democratic Arkansas 1891 1895
    John Lacey Republican Iowa 1895 1907
    Franklin Mondell Republican Wyoming 1907 1911
    Joseph Robinson Democratic Arkansas 1911 1912
    Scott Ferris Democratic Oklahoma 1912 1919
    Nicholas Sinnott Republican Oregon 1919 1928
    Don Colton Republican Utah 1928 1931
    John Evans Democratic Montana 1931 1933
    René De Rouen Democratic Louisiana 1933 1940
    James Robinson Democratic Utah 1940 1943
    Hardin Peterson Democratic Florida 1943 1947
    Richard Welch Republican California 1947 1949
    Andrew Somers Democratic New York 1949
    Hardin Peterson Democratic Florida 1949 1951
    Ranking members
    Name Party State Start End
    Andrew Somers Democratic New York 1947 1949
    Richard Welch Republican California 1949
    Fred Crawford Republican Michigan 1949 1951

    Committee on Interior and Insular Affairs

    Chairs
    Name Party State Start End
    John Murdock Democratic Arizona 1951 1953
    Arthur Miller Republican Nebraska 1953 1955
    Clair Engle Democratic California 1955 1959
    Wayne Aspinall Democratic Colorado 1959 1973
    James Haley Democratic Florida 1973 1977
    Mo Udall Democratic Arizona 1977 1991
    Ranking members
    Name Party State Start End
    Fred Crawford Republican Michigan 1951 1953
    Clair Engle Democratic California 1953 1955
    Arthur Miller Republican Nebraska 1955 1959
    John Saylor Republican Pennsylvania 1959 1973
    Craig Hosmer Republican California 1973 1974
    Joe Skubitz Republican Tennessee 1975 1978
    Don Clausen Republican California 1978 1981
    Manuel Lujan Republican New Mexico 1981 1985
    Don Young Republican Alaska 1985 1991

    Committee on Natural Resources

    Chair
    Name Party State Start End
    George Miller Democratic California 1991 1995
    Ranking member
    Name Party State Start End
    Don Young Republican Alaska 1991 1995

    Committee on Resources

    Chairs
    Name Party State Start End
    Don Young Republican Alaska 1995 2001
    James Hansen Republican Utah 2001 2003
    Richard Pombo Republican California 2003 2007
    Ranking members
    Name Party State Start End
    George Miller Democratic California 1995 2001
    Nick Rahall Democratic West Virginia 2001 2007

    Committee on Natural Resources

    Chairs
    Name Party State Start End
    Nick Rahall Democratic West Virginia 2007 2011
    Doc Hastings Republican Washington 2011 2015
    Rob Bishop Republican Utah 2015 2019
    Raúl Grijalva Democratic Arizona 2019 2023
    Bruce Westerman Republican Arkansas 2023 present
    Ranking members
    Name Party State Start End
    Don Young Republican Alaska 2007 2009
    Doc Hastings Republican Washington 2009 2011
    Ed Markey Democratic Massachusetts 2011 2013
    Pete DeFazio Democratic Oregon 2013 2015
    Raúl Grijalva Democratic Arizona 2015 2019
    Rob Bishop Republican Utah 2019 2021
    Bruce Westerman Republican Arkansas 2021 2023
    Raúl Grijalva Democratic Arizona 2023 2025
    Jared Huffman Democratic California 2025 present

    Historical membership rosters

    118th Congress

    Majority Minority

    Resolutions electing members: H.Res. 14 (Chair), H.Res. 15 (Ranking Member), H.Res. 79 (D), H.Res. 80 (R), H.Res. 164 (D)

    Subcommittees
    Subcommittee Chair[12] Ranking Member[a]
    Energy and Mineral Resources Pete Stauber (R-MN) Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY)
    Federal Lands Tom Tiffany (R-WI) Joe Neguse (D-CO)
    Indian and Insular Affairs Harriet Hageman (R-WY) Teresa Leger Fernandez (D-NM)
    Oversight and Investigations Paul Gosar (R-AZ) Melanie Stansbury (D-NM)
    Water, Wildlife and Fisheries Cliff Bentz (R-OR) Jared Huffman (D-CA)

    117th Congress

    Majority Minority

    Resolutions electing members: H.Res. 9 (Chair), H.Res. 10 (Ranking Member), H.Res. 62 (D), H.Res. 63 (R), H.Res. 92 (D), H.Res. 111 (D), H.Res. 475 (D), H.Res. 789 (Removing Gosar), H.Res. 1197 (R), H.Res. 1347 (D)

    Subcommittees
    Subcommittee Chair[14] Ranking Member[15]
    Energy and Mineral Resources Alan Lowenthal (D-CA) Pete Stauber (R-MN)
    Indigenous Peoples of the United States Teresa Leger Fernandez (D-NM) Don Young (R-AK)
    National Parks, Forests and Public Lands Joe Neguse (D-CO) Russ Fulcher (R-ID)
    Oversight and Investigations Katie Porter (D-CA) Blake Moore (R-UT)
    Water, Oceans and Wildlife Jared Huffman (D-CA) Cliff Bentz (R-OR)

    116th Congress

    Majority Minority

    Sources: H.Res. 24 (Chair), H.Res. 25 (Ranking Member), H.Res. 73 (D), H.Res. 74 (R), H.Res. 125 (D), H.Res. 148 (D), H.Res. 793 (D), H.Res. 1072 (R), H.Res. 1135 (D)

    Subcommittees
    Subcommittee Chair Ranking Member
    Energy and Mineral Resources Alan Lowenthal (D-CA) Paul Gosar (R-AZ)
    Indigenous Peoples of the United States Ruben Gallego (D-AZ) Paul Cook (R-CA)
    National Parks, Forests and Public Lands Deb Haaland (D-NM) Don Young (R-AK)
    Oversight and Investigations TJ Cox (D-CA) Louie Gohmert (R-TX)
    Water, Oceans and Wildlife Jared Huffman (D-CA) Tom McClintock (R-CA)

    115th Congress

    Majority[16] Minority[17]

    See also

    Notes

    1. ↑ @RachelFrazin (January 31, 2023). "AOC joins the House Natural Resources Committee, and becomes its top Democrat on the Energy and Mineral Resources subcommittee" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
    2. ↑ Van Drew left the Democratic Party on December 19, 2019, to join Republicans.

    References

    1. ↑ "Incoming chairman pledges new agenda for House environment panel". Associated Press/Lodi News Record. December 8, 2006. Retrieved January 23, 2013.
    2. ↑ "Office of the Clerk of the U.S. House of Representatives - 404". Archived from the original (PDF) on 2015-10-05. Retrieved 2017-01-19.
    3. ↑ McCarthy, Kevin (3 January 2017). "Text - H.Res.5 - 115th Congress (2017-2018): Adopting rules for the One Hundred Fifteenth Congress". congress.gov. Retrieved 4 April 2018.
    4. 1 2 "Westerman Announces Subcommittee Chairs". House Committee on Natural Resources. January 9, 2025.
    5. ↑ "Ranking Member Huffman Welcomes New Slate of House Natural Resources Committee Democrats, Announces Top Positions | The House Committee on Natural Resources". democrats-naturalresources.house.gov.
    6. ↑ "Rules for the Committee on Natural Resources" (PDF). Committee on Natural Resources Committee (PDF). January 23, 2013.
    7. ↑ Bravender, Robin (January 7, 2015). "Staff shuffles abound across energy, enviro committees". Energy & Environment Daily. E&E Publishing, LLC. Retrieved January 14, 2015.
    8. ↑ Taylor, Phil (January 6, 2015). "New chairman overhauls committee staff". Energy & Environment Daily. E&E Publishing, LLC. Retrieved January 14, 2015.
    9. 1 2 Subcommittee Changes
    10. ↑ "Ranking Member Huffman Welcomes New Slate of House Natural Resources Committee Democrats, Announces Top Positions". Natural Resources Committee Democrats. January 22, 2025.
    11. ↑ "Historical information of the committee on resources and its predecessor committees 1807–2002 - Preparation for a bicentennial" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2012-02-05.
    12. ↑ "Westerman Announces Subcommittee Chairs". Committee on Natural Resources. Archived from the original on 2023-02-01. Retrieved 2023-02-02.
    13. ↑ Vu, Nancy (September 14, 2022). "Alaska's new member of Congress, Mary Peltola, is now on the House Natural Resources Committee — thanks to a resignation assist from Lori Trahan". Politico. Retrieved September 18, 2022.
    14. ↑ "Chair Grijalva Announces Vice Chairs, Subcommittee Chairs for 117th Congress, Looks Forward to Climate and Environmental Justice Collaboration". Archived from the original on 2021-02-25. Retrieved 2021-02-23.
    15. ↑ "Westerman Announces Subcommittee Ranking Members". Archived from the original on 2021-03-18. Retrieved 2021-02-23.
    16. ↑ H.Res. 6, H.Res. 51
    17. ↑ H.Res. 7, H.Res. 45, H.Res. 52, H.Res. 95
    18. ↑ Appointed to committee in 2015, previously served from 2011 to 2013
    19. ↑ Sablan is an Independent, but caucuses with the Democrats