The Arizona Republic
Arizona's spectacular landscape has a strong champion in U.S. Rep. Raul Grijalva. The Tucson Democrat, elected in 2002 to the newly created Congressional District 7, has worked to protect pristine places like the Tumacacori Highlands, expand Saguaro National Park and restore riparian areas in southern Arizona.
When northern Arizona was left without effective representation after the indictment of Rep. Rick Renzi, Grijalva stepped in to oppose plans for uranium mining near the Grand Canyon. He is pushing for long-overdue reforms of the 1872 Mining Act: adding environmental protections and ending the giveaway of valuable minerals.
As a former Pima County supervisor, Grijalva went to Congress with a strong sense of the needs of his southern Arizona district. He has gone after them diligently, including education funding, affordable health care and alternative energy.
Grijalva supports comprehensive immigration reform. But he also is a realist, pointing out that it's important just to get moving.
As chairman of the Subcommittee on National Park, Forests and Public Lands, Grijalva has been a persistent critic of the Bush administration's management of public lands. He is releasing a report today, highlighting such concerns as the waiver of environmental protection for construction of the border fence, which led to costly flooding. The document is meant not only as a critique but also as a blueprint for congressional action.
Read the rest of the article here: http://www.azcentral.com/arizonarepublic/opinions/articles/2008/10/22/20081022wed1-22.html
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