Rep. Jim Hansen, R-Utah, says he's become the leader of an informal "cowboy caucus" of Western Republicans shooting at Clinton administration policies in the West.
Its first shot was a not-so-friendly letter to Clinton this week charging him with trying to "ruin rural economies, drive families into poverty, destroy our resources-based markets and ultimately demolish the great culture and heritage of the West."Hansen said it all began when Western Republicans began to commiserate in halls about Clinton proposals to increase grazing and mining fees, and about public lands restrictions coming from more wilderness and endangered species protection.
"We decided to get together and plan some strategy," Hansen said, and he ended up chairing the meeting because he is the ranking Republican on a House Natural Resources subcommittee that oversees national parks and public lands.
"We're looking at a series of legislation to put some pressure on (Interior Secretary Bruce) Babbitt and (U.S. Bureau of Land Management Director Jim) Baca," Hansen said.
"Members are really gung ho," he said. "We might be in another sagebrush rebellion. . . . The West has had it with this bunch. You wouldn't believe all the calls and letters we get on this."
The first order of business for the group was a letter from 35 members warning Clinton this week of an "increasing level of frustration and lack of confidence in the federal government by the people of the West."
It also accused Babbitt of promoting "serious abuses of private property rights" and "encroachments on traditional Western water rights" in his proposals for public lands reform.
"The West must stand up for itself," Hansen said. "During the first year of Mr. Clinton's tenure, we have seen drastic changes in natural resources policies such as mining, grazing, timber sales and water rights. All of these changes will have devastating effects on the economy of Utah."
Hansen said the group remains informal for now, but it may better organize as time goes on if the Clinton administration does not moderate its views. "We could call ourselves the cowboy caucus or something, I suppose," he said.