Zinke provides bold and energetic leadership

No one wants bad government. Yet that’s just what we’ve gotten from the Department of the Interior for the past several decades. That was until Secretary Ryan Zinke came to the department with a mandate for change, and he has delivered.

Under his tenure, Secretary Zinke has moved the public lands conversation to how we manage our resources for the greatest benefit of the American people. He has promoted an aggressive, forward-looking path to reform. This agenda focuses on enhancing public access to federal lands, modernizing land resource management, and streamlining decision-making.

Earlier this year, Secretary Zinke’s Interior Department released a proposal for agency reorganization. Rather than defaulting to a Washington-centric approach, Secretary Zinke proposed moving decision-making to the people and states in which they reside.

This creative proposal establishes regions for better management of our federal lands with input from all levels of government, industry and the community. This approach reduces administrative redundancy while fostering collaboration between federal and local officials.

He has proposed a creative new way to fund public land maintenance backlog without raising taxes.

As a former Navy SEAL, Secretary Zinke says what he means. His brand of bold, energetic leadership is a productive quality for the leader of such a vital department of government.

Secretary Zinke has built a team of leaders known for bold ideas and innovative approaches who can deliver results. More than anything, Americans deserve results.

Rep. Rob Bishop, R-Utah, chairs the House Natural Resources Committee.