Washington D.C. – Today, Congressman Raúl M. Grijalva introduced legislation to enhance the Udall Foundation, located in Tucson, Arizona, and simultaneously honor one of the great public servants and conservationists of the era, Stewart L. Udall.
The bill would provide additional resources for operations, and rename the agency the Morris K. Udall and Stewart L. Udall Foundation, in recognition of the historic Interior Secretary’s contributions.
“I am proud to sponsor this important legislation in the House,” said Grijalva. “This legislation will expand the Foundation while also honoring a legendary public servant who has helped increase environmental awareness for six decades.”
Stewart L. Udall was Secretary of the Interior under Presidents Kennedy and Johnson where his accomplishments earned him a special place among those ever to serve in that post and have made him an icon in the environmental and conservation communities. His best-selling book on environmental attitudes in the U.S., The Quiet Crisis (1963), along with Rachel Carson’s Silent Spring, is credited with creating a consciousness in the country leading to the environmental movement.
The Morris K. Udall Foundation was established by Congress in 1992 to provide federal-funded scholarships to the growing number of students in America who wish to become environmental professionals in the public and private sectors. In 1998, the Foundation grew to include the U.S. Institute for Environmental Conflict Resolution, created by Congress as the federal government’s only program focused entirely on resolving federal environmental disputes.
The Udall Foundation is also a founder and funder of the Native Nations Institute (NNI), a graduate education and policy center for Indian Country. NNI teaches a new way of governance on the reservations which embraces tribal identity as a core principle and smart business practices as a way to assist Indian nations rebuild their economies. There are more than 1,100 young Udall Scholars and Udall Native American interns around the country. The educational programs of the Foundation are among the most sought after on American campuses.
Representatives Nick Rahall (WV), Chairman of the Committee on Natural Resources, Ed Pastor, Harry Mitchell, Gabrielle Giffords, and Ann Kirkpatrick are original co-sponsors of the legislation.