Subcommittee on ports republic as well come to order. Statements are slim to the chair in the ranking minority member. Therefore, i ask unanimous consent that all other members Opening Statements be made part of the hearing record if they are submitted to the clerk by 5 pm today. Hearing no objections, so ordered. Thank you all for being here today for the subcommittee on National Parks, forests in public lands hearing on combatting anti public lands extremism. We are here today in part to review the results of our recent Government AccountabilityOffice Report detailing the impact of Anti Government extremism and public land managers in federal facilities. As we will hear, that report found some shocking details about the threats these federal employees faced just doing their jobs. Federal land managers and Law Enforcement personnel have been followed around in stores, had their homes sticks out, and have even faced attempted murder at the hands of those who promote Anti Government ideologies. I hope that we can all agree that this is unacceptable. These people are hardworking Public Servants employed by the federal government. No one should face fear or harassment or place and worker in their communities. I also think it is important we keep a larger context of these incidents in mind because these extremist ideologies did not develop in a vacuum. Anti government rhetoric, more frequently being adopted by officials in positions of power is being used as a weapon against our public lands and the Public Servants who manage them. Attempts to push this ideology into the political mainstream has a very real impact on peoples lives. As geo found, quote, some field unit employees said that in certain circumstances they consider receiving threats a normal part of their job. Officials described being threatened while off duty, such as being harassed in local stores or being monitored or at their home, which officials said in some cases they did not report because it was a common occurrence. If we turn to the screen, we will see a handful of statements Public Officials have made in recent years. What senator harry reid make all domestic terrorists, i call patriots former senator dean heller of nevada of the 2014 armed bungee militia standoff in nevada. The event has become a Bureaucratic Agency of basically terrorism so at what point weve been together as elected officials and say enough is enough of the ball them . And that was from state representative michelle fury of nevada. Federal government, the bell in, the forest, service the fbi, the dea, any of those guys, they are not elected. Those other entities, they answer to me, before county, utah sheriff camera noel. You, the people of nevada, not washington bureaucrat should be in charge of your own land. I will fight day and night to return full control of nevadas lands to its rifle owners, its citizens, and that was from senator ted cruz. This rhetoric often turns into violence. In 2012, utah governor gary herbert signed the utah transfer, a public lands act, which required federal agencies to seed ownership of most federal lands to state control after 2014. A researcher at the university of california san diego found that in the year after utah and other Western State legislators made their Land Transfer demands, those states saw a nearly 11 increase in violence directed at federal public lands employees. In that context, it is particularly disappointing to see my republican colleagues invited witness today with little experience on the issues we are here to discuss, when he was written favourably about giving away federal land to state and private control. Former bls director said in 2014, quote, the political rhetoric today does lead to animosity and increased tension, and there is a belief because of that red brexit it is okay to do things outside the law and some people believe that they are going to get away with it. Today, i hope we can examine this rhetoric and the danger it creates, so that we can consider how to protect public employees, promote collaboration and the collaboration of threats and violence. With, that i would like to recognize Ranking Member curtis with his opening remarks. Thank, you madam chair. Absolutely no one in this room on either side of the aisle condones violence or threats against federal employees. Its unfortunate but i feel i need to leave the need to make that statement. Our boots on the ground are often difficult positions and may have to enforce unpopular laws and regulations that have great impact on local communities and peoples livelihoods. Their safety should be and is of the utmost importance. While im supportive of the practical recommendations made in the geos report, which we are looking at today, i am concerned that the title and narrow focus of this hearing may be misleading. Some i take issue with the assertion made that there is a widespread problem of Anti Government threats of abuse created in the west. Being from the west and representing a state with a High Percentage of public lands, i would like to set the record straight. Calling for local ownership and control of public lands does not embody an attack on the federal government. As a matter of fact, many of my constituents feel just the opposite. The vast majority of my constituents impacted by the federal governments public Lands Management decisions are hard working taxpayers raising families, contributing to their communities. They love the beautiful public lands that surround them i want to be good stewards of them, and part of the decisionmaking process. This does not make them bad people. They are not dangerous or threatening to federal land managers in the field. In fact, i frequently hear how much they appreciate and work well with local agents of these federal agencies. Landowners and users who disagree with specific management decisions should not be made to feel that somehow they will place on a Government Watch list for potential threats. Realizing westerners and those who disagree with management decisions there is nothing to build a bridge of trust, cooperation that is vital to proper stewardship of the land, and as is the case with most of our politics, fingerpointing and divisiveness is counterproductive in the long run. We will hear from geo Witnesses Today regarding the report of the full Committee Chairman asked them to compile, which looks at the progress that the fish and Wildlife Service and National Park service have made in recent years to bring occupied facilities into complies with post 9 11 security standards. This report, was important to consider, only took into account for years worth of data of recorded threats, and only for Land Management agencies which each had different and often inconsistent methods of recording. But also does not appear to be a way to differentiate between the most serious threats of violence, and incidents as minor as a parking tickets. I believe republicans on this committee largely support the recommendations made in the geo report of agencies to continue to make progress in taking efforts to secure federal facilities, however, nothing in the report makes any mention of the existence of a culture of Anti Government attack and abuse which is the title of this hearing. My hope is that through testimony the witnesses here today, we can all learn a powerful lesson that the vast majority of citizens are not like those in the rare highprofile headline grabbing incidences that will be showcased today. My constituents do not wish to have conflict, and naturally seek compromising cooperation from their government. I hope to hear examples today of how federal land managers and local citizens have worked to listen to each other, seek mutual understanding, and come up with collaborative on the Ground Solutions which create the most possible comfort all concerned. As a committee, we should be committed to fostering more of these cooperatively collaborative efforts which will do far more to facilitate safety then spending tens of millions of dollars to create hard and, secure fortresses. With that madam chair, i would like to thank the witnesses for being here today, i look forward to the testimony and i yield my time. Thank you, mister curtis. Now, we would like to turn to our witness panel. Under our Committee Rules, oral statements are limited to five minutes, but you may submit a longer statement for the record if you choose. The lights in front of you will turn yellow when there is one minute last and read one time has expired. After the witnesses have testified, members will be given the opportunity to ask questions. The chair now recognizes mr. Dan nichols, former heinie county supervisor, and mr. Nichols you have five minutes. Sank you for the opportunity to speak to you today. My name is dan nichols and im a self employed ranch or, 41, years blm committee, and passed committee on the wildlife refuge, five to retired county commissioners, and i was a partner in board member in three of the ongoing initiative in our community. The economy of heinie county is a Natural Resource base, we reliance on the multiple use concept of public lands administered by the u. S. Forest service, the bls and the National Wildlife refuge. Harney county lies in the southeast corner of oregon and is 75 federally and state owned and it has a land mass of 10,120 square miles, larger than six west coast states. It has a population of 7380 people, of which 5200 are registered to vote. A quick look at an oregon state map, one would incorrectly assume that the area is basically uninhabited. My comments today to you come from this perspective. Rural americans, especially in the largely federally owned and managed Western States are not being listened to, much less heard. The opinions and desires on the populous residing well outside Rural Communities are politically driving issues that result in legitimate grievances with federal Land Management policies. Much as what is often described as antigovernment is really coming from a feeling of exclusion or being on the losing end of unbalanced Natural Resource management. In the course of doing their, jobs federal employees become local messengers of new policies and regulations, resulting in them becoming the recipients of the frustration and anger of people who are not being listened to. Our community has issues of concern with federal and management. We are not unique in that regard. What doesnt make us unique is the manner in which issues of potential ascension and polarization are resolved. A culture of collaboration has been established in harmony county that enables a diversity of opinions to be respectfully and collectively considered. Its a positive attribute to the process has been working directly with the federal employees in our community. Through that interaction, the community has gained an appreciation for them as professionals, individuals and contributing members in our community. Collaboration also provides a venue for discussion of issues with the Broader Community beyond hardy county. For us, the Term Community includes those with an interest and a commitment to participate, including stakeholders from outside the local area who care about issues in ways we may not always appreciates. It is necessary to have them at the table as well, because the collaborative process gives everyone an opportunity to speak and listen, we learn and better understand each others feelings. It is a setting where rural voices are heard and understood by those from areas that are the source of the many problematic issues. Collectively, through collaborative efforts, in carney county residents have found the ability to meet our interests, following examples of the 2000 act that was written by congressman greg waltons. The National Wildlife refuge comprehensive plan and the honey county fire and Harney County wetlands initiative. The cultural Collaborations Team deals with complex issues in Harney County. Real benefits have been issued for the local community, the federal agencies and the Natural Resource we all care about, urban and rural alike. We can all learn from the lessons of people but i successfully bridging divides i ask for your collaboration in addressing the grievances of the american public. The collaboration has been recognized as a successful approach to resolving issues in Harney County of state origin and it needs to be implemented on a National Level as well. Thank, you and i look forward to any questions you might have. Thank you, mr. Nichols. The chair now recognizes professor peter a walker, professor of geography at the university of oregon. You have five minutes. My name is peter walker. Im a professor of geography and environmental studies at the university of oregon. I personally observed the 2016 armed occupation of the National Wildlife refuge in heinie, county oregon. After the occupation, i conducted research there for more than two, years including over 100 indepth interviews with individuals representing all parts of the community. My observations recorded in my book, how carney county defeated takeover of the National Wildlife refuge. A lot can be hearn learned, from the occupation about preventing such injuries and for safeguarding our employees and enabling them to work constructively integral communities. A great majority in Harney County oppose the occupation and rejected the militants plan to launch an Anti Government federal evolution from Harney County. I use the word militants because they used armed force and military style tactics to achieve a radical political goal. The situation was explosive. Almost certainly, if the community had heeded heeded the cause of the militants, lives wouldve been lost. Harney county rejected the militants called a revolution in large part because the community had invested for decades in building collaborative approach to solving precisely the kind of Resource Management issues the militants said could only be resolved through armed forces. In the, past they have been a lot of hostility between the community and the federal agencies, but by the end of the 1990s, Harney County was tired of fighting and especially tired of litigation. The existing system was failing to produce outcomes that almost anyone wanted, and even when people and when people knew that regulations was becoming, they wanted to get ahead of the process and make sure local voices would be heard. Farmers, ranchers, environmentalists, tribes, and federal state and county workers intentionally build a culture of collaboration. The community but the Better Solutions could be found by building relationships and really listening to each other, humanizing those with whom they might see things differently. For decades, over one on one phone calls and cups of coffee at kitchen tables, the Community Created their own ways to solve problems. One outside militants proposed violent confrontation, the community had a better way. Federal employees were central to this history. Ironically, the outside militants had no ideal that Harney County was recognized nationally as something of a poster child for collaborative approaches, including building positive relationship with federal workers. Militants believed by vilifying and harassing federal employees they would rally support for their cause. The militants leader later said that he never met the bureau of Land Management or by implication, any federal employee who is a quote, good person, unquote. By 2016, most people in hardy county just did not see it that way. Through a collaboration, federal employees were contributing to better problem solving, in large part by making themselves more integral parts of the community and above all, by listening. No longer just uniforms and badges, federal employees were friends and members of the community, and Harney County does not like members of the community being harassed. When the occupation ended, rodgers on the National Wildlife refuge hala dinner to honor the u. S. Fish and Wildlife Service employees who had borne much of the harassment from the outside militants, to reaffirm that the federal workers are valued members of the community. As a, nation we are enormously fortunate that by chance they chose Harney County. The community literally told the militants to go home. We should see the relatively peaceful outcome of the occupation as hopeful evidence that conflict between Rural Communities and federal agencies can be minimized, and in some cases, Winwin Solutions can be found but the five the divisive cult