Washington, D.C. — Legislation to improve the Udall Foundation and honor one of the great public servants of our time, Stewart L. Udall, was signed into law today.
Introduced by Congressman Raúl M. Grijalva, H.R. 1035 passed the Senate Oct. 21 and was signed by President Obama this morning. The law renames the entity the Morris K. Udall and Stewart L. Udall Foundation, in recognition of the Interior Secretary’s historic contributions, and opens the door for the foundation to open an office in Washington, D.C., among other provisions.
Stewart Udall was Secretary of the Interior under Presidents Kennedy and Johnson and was author of The Quiet Crisis (1963), a best-selling book on environmental attitudes in the United States. During his tenure he had an unmatched record of environmental leadership, overseeing the creation of 4 national parks, 6 national monuments, 8 national seashores and lakeshores, 9 recreation areas, 20 historic sites and 56 wildlife refuges. He continued to make substantial contributions to environmental and Native American policy as a lawyer and author following his service at the Department.
“I am very happy that the President has signed this important legislation,” said Grijalva. “It is imperative that Stewart Udall’s accomplishments continue to be honored in this way. Few people are more responsible for increasing our nation’s sensitivity to preserving the environment. He was a pioneering conservationist throughout his career, and he richly deserves this recognition.”
Established by Congress in 1992, the foundation’s mission was originally to provide educational opportunities for studies related to the environment and Native American tribal policy and health care. In 1998, Congress expanded the mission to include resolving conflicts related to the environment, natural resources and public lands through services including mediation, facilitation and training. Through its education programs, the Udall Foundation trains tomorrow’s leaders in energy, climate change and the economic issues facing our nation.