Western Caucus Foundation
www.westerncaucusfoundation.org
Contact: info@westerncaucusfoundation.org
Western Caucus Foundation celebrates 30 years of the Western Caucus in Washington
WASHINGTON (September 19, 2023) —The premier caucus in Congress representing Western and Rural America celebrates its 30-year anniversary. The Western Caucus was founded in 1993 by four Representatives from Western states dominated by federally owned and managed lands – Rep. Jim Hansen of Utah; Rep. Joe Skeen of New Mexico; Rep. Barbara Vucanovich of Nevada, and Rep. Bob Stump of Arizona. Subsequently, the Senate Western Caucus was founded by Sen. John Barrasso of Wyoming.
Now led by Rep. Dan Newhouse in the House of Representatives and Sen. Cynthis Lummis of Wyoming, the Western Caucus has advocated for our rural and western way of life in Washington, D.C. The Congressional Western Caucus is the second largest caucus, as a member service organization, in Congress with over 100 members. Further, the Senate Western Caucus consists of 27 Senators west of the Mississippi—Sen. Dan Sullivan of Alaska serves as its vice-chair. The group packs a lot of punch on policy as caucus members hold a majority of the gavels in the House of Representatives while many of the Ranking Members of relevant Senate committees are in the Senate Western Caucus.
Over the years, Congressional Western Caucus Chairs include: Rep. George Radanovich (CA); Rep. Richard Pombo (CA); Rep. Chris Cannon (UT) ; Rep. Rob Bishop (UT); Rep. Steve Pearce (NM); Rep. Cynthia Lummis (WY); Rep. Paul Gosar (AZ); and now Rep. Dan Newhouse (WA).
In the Senate, the Caucus has been chaired by Sen. John Barrasso (WY), from 2010-2016; Sen. Steve Daines (MT), 2017-2022; and now Sen. Cynthia Lummis (WY) from 2023 – current.
“The Foundation is proud of the Western Caucus as the fighter for Western and rural America in Washington over its30 years of existence,” said Darrell Henry, Executive Director, Western Caucus Foundation, “the caucus has been educating costal elites and city lawmakers and dwellers regarding the vastness of the West, the rural way of life, and how food, water, and energy gets to urban and suburban members.”
The Foundation, while a separate organization from the Senate and Congressional Western Caucuses, works with similar goals as the Caucuses to inform and educate policymakers and the public on ‘Western’ and rural ideals and way of life. The Foundation recently announced a new monthly Western Caucus-related show on RFD-TV called “Champions of Rural America.” The Chairs of the Senate and Congressional Caucuses serve as its honorary Co-Chairs.
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