Outgoing U.S. Representative Raul Labrador (R-ID-1) has been a member of the U.S. House since 2011. He previously served in the Idaho State House of Representatives. In 2018, he lost in the Idaho Republican gubernatorial primary to Lieutenant Governor Brad Little. Labrador is reportedly being considered for the position of Interior Secretary.

Key findings include:

Labrador Supported Transferring Federal Lands Back to States. Raul Labrador supported transferring federal lands to states and believed “at a minimum, the state should be managing all the lands under its jurisdiction.” In 2016, Labrador introduced a bill giving 4 million acres of national forest lands to the states for “locally managed forest demonstration projects.” He believed that state forests were much healthier than federal forests. In 2017, Labrador supported a rules package that would allow the federal government to transfer land without having to bill the state for lost revenue.

Labrador Supported Trump’s National Monuments Review; Introduced Bill Requiring Congressional and State Approval of Future Monuments. In April 2017, Labrador wrote that he was “pleased by President Trump’s decision to review the Antiquities Act,” but did not believe it went far enough. The following month, he introduced the National Monument Designation Transparency and Accountability Act, which required any future national monument designations to get Congressional and state approval. Labrador stated, “While President Obama set a new standard for executive overreach, presidents in both parties have overstepped…My bill protects multiple use of our lands by requiring support from local communities, user groups and state elected officials.”

Labrador Supported Increased Oil and Gas Development on Public Lands. According to his website, Labrador supported “policies to increase energy production in Idaho and make greater use of our natural resources” and would “continue to fight for legislation that removes federal roadblocks into energy development.” He also supported approval of the Keystone XL pipeline, opening of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge to oil and gas leasing, and increased offshore oil and gas exploration along the U.S. coast.

Raul Labrador Believed Malheur Occupation Was “Peaceful” and “Civil Disobedience.” In January 2016, the Malheur Wildlife Refuge was occupied by several gun-toting anti-government activists led by Ammon and Ryan Bundy. Labrador called the standoff “peaceful” and stated, “They’re trying to express their frustration. And I think civil disobedience has been something that for the most part the liberal media used to stand up for. But apparently there’s some exceptions to that.” Labrador further blamed the “takeover of the lands by the federal government…” for creating the conditions for the “peaceful takeover of an abandoned building…” Labrador hoped the standoff would give momentum to his land transfer bill. After a federal judge dismissed the charges against the Bundy Ranch participants, Labrador stated that she “did the right thing.”

Labrador’s Top Donors Included Livestock and Agricultural Companies. Over the course of his career, Labrador has received over $114,570 from the crop production and basic processing industry, $89,120 from the livestock industry, $52,250 from the forestry and forest products industry and $40,750 from the oil and gas industry. Labrador’s top individual donors include Koch Industries, Idaho Power, Tree Top Ranches, Berkshire Hathaway, and Agri Beef.

Raul Labrador: “As A Policymaker, I Won't Be Guided By The Global Warming Propaganda Machine.” In a February 2014 interview with NBC News, Labrador stated, “It’s interesting that about a decade ago there was a lot of talk about ‘global warming.’ Thirty years ago we were talking about ‘global cooling.’ Now all we hear about is ‘climate change.’ There has been evidence throughout history of cycles when the earth gets warmer and cycles when the earth gets colder. We should always be wise stewards of the earth and all of our natural resources. But as a policymaker, I won’t be guided by the global warming propaganda machine. Al Gore - we need you to return your Nobel Peace Prize!”

Labrador Believed Endangered Species Act Hindered Economic and Infrastructure Development. In March 2017, Labrador held a hearing on the Endangered Species Act’s “impediments to economic and infrastructure development.” In a separate speech, Labrador stated that ESA “severely hinders our nation’s ability to provide necessary public services and discourages investment in critical projects needed to boost our economy.”

Labrador Considered a Public Lands Enemy. Raul Labrador has consistently supported anti-public lands legislation, earning him a lifetime LCV score of 4 percent. The Center for Biological Diversity listed Labrador among their top 15 “public lands enemies” in 2017. Conservation groups cheered when he lost the Idaho Republican gubernatorial primary to a more pro-public lands candidate in 2018. Former Center for Western Priorities deputy director Greg Zimmerman tweeted that Labrador was “one of the most fiercely anti-conservation, anti-public lands members of Congress” and had “touched a third rail in Western politics by backing attempts to sell-off America’s public lands.”