Department of Agriculture: The Western Governors encouraged Secretary Thomas Vilsack to consult with them when formulating new policy, especially in regard to land and wildfire management. The Governors also highlighted their positions on a variety of issues by sharing the WGA Policy Resolutions: National Forest and Rangeland Management, National Forest and Rangeland Management, Western Agriculture, and Biosecurity and Invasive Species Management, among others. Read, download the letter. 

Department of Defense: Water management, disaster response and environmental stewardship are some of the issues Western Governors raised in outreach to Secretary Lloyd Austin III. With the Army Corps of Engineers responsible for several projects in the West, the Governors expressed a need for early and meaningful consultation. The Governors’ policies on these issues were shared in the WGA Policy Resolutions: Water Resource Management in the West, Water Quality in the West, and Federal Disaster Recovery Assistance for Communities in the West, among others. Read, download the letter.      

Department of Energy: With many of the department’s national laboratories and nuclear weapons production facilities located in the western U.S, the Western Governors requested that Secretary Jennifer Granholm consult them during the Department’s policy formation and rulemaking processes. Western Governors’ policies on these issues were shared in the WGA Policy Resolutions: Energy in the West, Air Quality and Methane Emissions Regulation, and Transportation, Storage and Disposal of Radioactive Waste, Radioactive Materials and Spent Nuclear Fuel, among others. Read, download letter.   

Department of Homeland Security: The Western Governors highlighted the opportunity to collaborate on emergency management with Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, including assisting states with COVID-19 response and helping in the aftermath of natural disasters. They also noted that the department serves as an important cybersecurity resource for states. Western Governors’ policies on these matters were shared in the WGA Policy Resolutions Federal Disaster Recovery Assistance for Communities in the West, and Cybersecurity, among others. Read, download the letter.  

Department of State: Western Governors shared their policy positions on federalism with Secretary Antony Blinken, and urged him to utilize state data, expertise, and science in the development of federal actions that affect states. “A good faith partnership between states and the federal government will result in more efficient, economic, effective, and durable policy, benefiting the Governors’ and the federal government’s shared constituents.” The Governors shared policy on these matters in the WGA Policy Resolutions Utilizing State Data in Federal Decision Making, and Strengthening the State-Federal Relationship, among others. Read, download the letter.    

Department of Transportation: The Western Governors stressed to Secretary Pete Buttigieg the need for a strong federal partnership to continue improving the country’s transportation infrastructure. As part of this partnership, the Governors stated their support for improved infrastructure permitting and environmental review processes. They shared policy on these matters in the WGA Policy Resolutions: Transportation Infrastructure in the Western United States, Modernizing Western Infrastructure, and Rural Development, among others. Read, download the letter.  

Department of Treasury: The Western Governors urged Secretary Janet Yellen to provide a “clear and accountable process for each state – through its Governor or their designees – to engage with early, meaningful, substantive, and ongoing consultation while developing federal policies.” The Governors’ policies on these matters were shared in WGA Policy Resolutions Utilizing State Data in Federal Decision Making and Strengthening the State-Federal Relationship, among others. Read, download the letter.    

Department of Veteran Affairs: “Improving state-federal communication and coordination is a goal that transcends party lines, and it is among the Governors’ highest priorities,” the Western Governors wrote in outreach to Secretary Denis McDonough. In particular, the Governors advocated for a re-establishment of entities to discuss and act on federalism issues, such as the Speaker’s Task Force on Intergovernmental Affairs, or the U.S. Advisory Committee on Intergovernmental Relations. The Governors’ policies on these matters were shared in the WGA Policy Resolutions Utilizing State Data in Federal Decision Making, and Strengthening the State-Federal Relationship, among others. Read, download the letter.    

Department of Education: The Western Governors initiated communication with Secretary Miguel Cardona to encourage regular consultation with the states, and department use of state data, saying, “too often, federal agencies solicit input from states after a decision is already made or a public process is started.” Western Governors’ policies on these matters were shared in the WGA Policy Resolutions Utilizing State Data in Federal Decision Making, and Strengthening the State-Federal Relationship, among others. Read, download the letter.    

Department of Commerce: While the work of the Department of Commerce intersects with the interests of Western Governors on many levels, the Governors’ initial communication with Secretary Gina Raimondo focused on issues of economic development and data sharing. Western Governors’ policies on these matters were shared in the WGA Policy Resolutions Broadband Connectivity, and Rural Development, among others. Read, download the letter.

Council of Economic Advisors: The Western Governors outlined their views on the State-Federal relationship to Chair Cecilia Rouse and requested that states be treated as “partners and co-regulators.” The Governors’ policies on these matters were shared in the WGA Policy Resolutions Utilizing State Data in Federal Decision Making  and Strengthening the State-Federal Relationship, among others. Read, download the letter.

Environmental Protection Agency: The Governors highlighted priorities in the development and implementation of standards on which they expect to collaborate with Administrator Michael Regan and the EPA, including the Clean Water Act, the Clean Air Act, and the Good Samaritan Initiative to clean up orphan mines. The Governors shared WGA Policy Resolutions policy relevant to these issues: Water Resource Management in the West,  Air Quality and Methane Emissions Regulation, and Cleaning Up Abandoned Mines in the West. Read, download the letter.

Department of the interior: The Governors encouraged Secretary Deb Haaland and DOI, the single largest landowner in the West, to regularly consult with the states – especially on matters of wildland fire policies, wildlife management, land use, and water. The Governors’ policies on these issues were shared in WGA Policy Resolutions: Species Conservation and the Endangered Species Act, National Forest and Rangeland Management, Water Quality in the West, and Energy in the West. Read, download the letter.

Small Business Administration: The Governors thanked Administrator Isabella Guzman and the SBA for its valuable partnership in WGA’s Reimagining the Rural West Initiative and also expressed hope for continued collaboration, especially in terms of attention to rural workforce issues and economic development. Specific policy positions were shared in WGA Policy Resolutions: Rural Development, Workforce Development in the Western United States, and Utilizing State Data in Federal Decision Making. Read, download the letter.

Department of Labor: The Governors encouraged Secretary Marty Walsh to maintain the enthusiastic partnership between the western states and DoL and also expressed their expectation to be “consulted throughout the Department’s decision making and rulemaking processes.” Specific policies were shared in WGA Policy Resolutions: Strengthening the State-Federal Relationship, Utilizing State Data in Federal Decision Making, and Workforce Development in the Western United States. Read, download the letter.

Department of Justice: The Governors expressed their interest in working with Attorney General Merrick Garland. Stressing the impact that the department has on western states, the Governors urged him to view the states as equal partners and regularly communicate with them before and  after decisions are made. Specific policies were shared in WGA Policy Resolutions: Strengthening the State-Federal Relationship, Utilizing State Data in Federal Decision Making, and Workforce Development in the Western United States. Read, download the letter. 

Department of Health and Human Services: Substance abuse, behavioral health, rural access to health care, and the administration of Medicaid were the key issues that Western Governors raised in outreach to Secretary Xavier Becerra. Close collaboration between the department and the states, the Governors asserted, will be critical to ensure quality health care services throughout the West. Specific policies were shared in WGA Policy Resolutions: Physical and Behavioral Health Care in Western States, Broadband Connectivity, and Rural Development. Read, download the letter.

Office of the U.S. Trade Representative: Western Governors connected with Ambassador Katherine Tai to familiarize her with the work of the Western Governors’ Association and promote consistent collaboration with the western states. “We look forward to working with you to realign the state-federal relationship to better serve our common constituencies,” the letter read. Specific policies were shared in WGA Policy Resolutions: Strengthening the State-Federal Relationship. Read, download the letter.

Department of Housing and Urban Development: Western Governors reached out to Secretary Marcia Fudge intending to foster a working relationship. The Governors stressed the need for the department to view states as partners and regularly consult with them before any decisions are made. “State governments cannot function as full partners if the federal government requires them to devote their limited resources to comply with unfunded federal mandates,” the Governors noted. Specific policies were shared in WGA Policy Resolution: Strengthening the State-Federal Relationship. Read, download the letter.

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