The National Association of Manufacturers and several business groups are calling on Senate Majority Leader Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.), Speaker of the House Mike Johnson (R-LA), Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) and House Minority Leader Hakeen Jeffries (D-N.Y.) to consider the impact the new Environmental Protection Agency ruling on PM2.5 will have on businesses. 

PM2.5 refers to air particles that are less than 2.5 micrometers in diameter.

The EPA in March lowered the standard for PM2.5 in its National Ambient Air Quality Standards rule by 25%, down from 12 micrograms per cubic meter of air to nine. NAM has sued to block the new standard.

EPA calls for steeper cut with a faster timeline

NAM has that the EPA’s new ruling is far more restrictive than other countries, with the UK aiming to lower its standard to 10 micrograms by 2040. 

“The new standard will also put the United States at a disadvantage by hurting our ability to compete on the world stage. Our global competitors have adopted standards that are less stringent than the EPA rule and are phased in over a much longer time frame,” a letter led by NAM says. “Congress must act to stop this harmful rule before it takes effect.”

Arizona job creators and legislative leaders weigh in

Last November, the Arizona �߲�ֱ�� of Commerce & Industry and the Arizona Manufacturers Council were part of a NAM-led coalition that argued against the EPA’s proposed rulemaking. In a letter Danny Seiden, president & CEO of the Arizona �߲�ֱ��, remarked that wildfires a great deal of pollution to Arizona.

In a separate filing made in March, the Arizona �߲�ֱ��, state Senate President Warren Petersen, and House Speaker Ben Toma are contesting the EPA ruling. 

New standard will crimp growth

NAM insists the congressional leaders should consider the negative effects the ruling will have on businesses, arguing the more restrictive regulation will make it more challenging for states to issue permits for building new facilities or expanding existing factories.

NAM also argued that the ruling puts the U.S. at a competitive disadvantage globally since other nations are not lowering their standards at the same rate. The European Union is not lowering its standard to 10 micrograms until 2030, while China is retaining its 35 micrograms standard. 

“Americans deserve a strong economy and a healthy environment. We urge Congress to pass a resolution of disapproval addressing the EPA’s actions as quickly as possible,” the letter says.

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This opinion column by Arizona �߲�ֱ�� of Commerce & Industry President and CEO Danny Seiden originally in The Arizona Capitol Times. 

In their memoir , Milton and Rose Friedman wrote that property rights “are the most basic of human rights and an essential foundation for other human rights.”

That’s a good framing to consider the state of property rights in Arizona and how leaders like Maricopa County Attorney Rachel Mitchell are doing in upholding this “essential foundation.”

Here are a few points on why I believe Mitchell deserves high marks on her private property scorecard:

Organized retail theft

Shoplifting, or shrinkage in retail industry parlance, has always been a source of worry for retailers.

But today’s thieves are cannier than ever, often part of sophisticated organized retail crime rings that steal merchandise to be resold.

Since early in her term as county attorney, Mitchell has made cracking down on organized retail crime a top priority. She has assembled a task force that includes private sector members, launched a safe shopping campaign during the holiday season, and hasn’t gone soft on pursuing tough sentences for convicted thieves.

Not everyone in her position has adopted a similar strategy.

After San Francisco Mayor London Breed help from her city’s board of supervisors in combating a soaring property crime rate, District Attorney Chesa Boudin downplayed the progressive policies that contributed to rising crime, casting blame toward the reforms he supported was “misguided” and that we instead should examine the “root causes of crime,” ticking off areas where the social safety net has too many holes.

Voters weren’t having it. They him from office in June 2022.

Mitchell’s crackdown on organized retail crime rings sends a powerful message, and the right one – justice will be served, and criminals will be held accountable for their actions. You won’t find San Francisco-style criminal justice policies in Maricopa County.

The dinnertime burglars

In January, the Scottsdale Police Department announced that in a less-than-three-month span it had received more than 20 calls about burglaries that had occurred during the dinner hour, especially at homes that abut golf courses or greenbelts. Jewelry was often the target of break-ins.

Phoenix police in February arrested three suspects. The investigation has revealed that this was hardly a group of small time bandits. The thieves had ties to a South American crime ring, had been connected to more than 100 burglaries in the Valley, and had been responsible for the theft of more than $3 million in goods. They were all from Chile but were carrying fake Spanish IDs.

The bad guys weren’t just slipping in through an unlocked door. They had high-tech equipment to jam alarm systems, and tools to cleanly punch through windows and pick locks.

Mitchell gave the case the attention it deserved. Working with Scottsdale and Phoenix PDs, the investigation expanded to six suspects being charged, one of whom has been involved in similar burglaries in Nevada and California. They’ve all been charged with a series of felonies and are being held on cash-only bonds.

So, why does the business community care about how and whether the county attorney pursues prosecutions for property crimes?

Beyond retailers wanting to protect their inventories or businesses wanting to protect their premises, the ability to own, use, and dispose of property as one sees fit is essential for innovation, investment, and societal progress. Without strong protections for property owners, we risk stifling entrepreneurship and discouraging individuals from investing in their communities.

Don’t buy the argument from Mitchell’s critics that stringent property laws disproportionately affect marginalized communities. Strong property rights benefit everyone, regardless of socio-economic status. They provide individuals with a sense of security and empowerment, enabling them to build wealth and achieve upward mobility.

When prosecutors look the other way on property crime, it just encourages more crime and of increasing severity, including squatting, which is its own magnet for drug use and other illicit behavior.

Like we saw in San Francisco, policymakers will find out that a lackadaisical approach to protecting private property will have political consequences. Voters in Arizona will decide in November whether property owners should be able to recoup at least a portion of any expenses that result from a city’s failure to control a public nuisance that infringes on their property rights.

Ultimately, the strength of a society is measured by its respect for individual rights and the rule of law. By safeguarding private property rights and holding criminals accountable, Rachel Mitchell is not only protecting our homes and businesses but is also preserving the principles upon which our nation was founded.

Danny Seiden is president and CEO of the Arizona �߲�ֱ�� of Commerce & Industry.

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Sixteen Arizona middle-schoolers on Friday took center stage at the Arizona competition of the National Civics Bee, showing off not only their knowledge of American civics, but also their creative ideas for tackling some of their communities’ most pressing challenges.

Held at the Flinn Foundation in central Phoenix, the event was a collaboration of the Arizona �߲�ֱ�� Foundation and the U.S. �߲�ֱ�� Foundation.

Arizona a leader in civics education 

Danny Seiden, president and CEO of the Arizona �߲�ֱ�� of Commerce & Industry, spoke of Arizona’s distinction as the first state in the country to mandate a civics exam for high school graduation and shared his belief in the critical role of civic education. 

Participants were selected by their local chambers of commerce in Gilbert, Queen Creek, Tucson, and Yuma County.

“As chamber leaders, together with our member businesses, we are committed to helping Arizona remain a terrific place not just to do business but to live and raise a family.” Seiden said. “This competition gives all businesses a way to show their support for civic education and help inspire a new generation of civic leaders in Arizona.” 

“America’s democracy depends on informed, active citizen participation. The National Civics Bee is a way to ensure a high-quality, non-partisan learning and civic engagement experience for students,” Arizona �߲�ֱ�� Foundation President and CEO Eileen Klein said. “And it’s a way to help elevate the importance of civic education statewide.”

The event 

The event began with two rounds of multiple-choice questions that tested the depth of the students’ knowledge on topics ranging from each branch of government’s unique role, important Supreme Court decisions, the Federalist Papers, the Constitution, and more.

In the final round, five finalists presented to an all-star panel of judges a short proposal to solve an issue facing their community.

A gubernatorial proclamation

Emcee Kim Covington, the vice president for community initiatives at the Arizona Community Foundation, read a proclamation from Gov. Katie Hobbs, which said, in part, that “civics education is essential to prepare students with the knowledge and skills to participate as informed members of their communities.”

The governor declared May 3, 2024 as Civics Bee in Arizona Day.

The judges

• State Supreme Court Justice Kathryn King
• State Rep. Jennifer Pawlik (LD-13)
• Liam Julian, Director of Public Policy for the Sandra Day O’Connor Institute for American Democracy
• Nicole Bidwill, Vice President, Arizona Cardinals
• Dawn Wallace, Vice President for Civic Leadership, Flinn Foundation

The winner

Aiden Barraza, from Saint Francis Xavier, will represent Arizona at the National Civics Bee competition in Washington, D.C. this fall. 

For winning the Arizona competition, Aiden not only earned a spot in the national competition but also walked away with a $1,000 prize.

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The Federal Trade Commission on Tuesday voted to ban noncompete agreements. The ban would prohibit new noncompete agreements for every employee and mandate that companies inform both current and former staff that they won’t be enforcing such agreements. Additionally, businesses will be obligated to revoke existing noncompete agreements for the majority of their employees. Senior level executives’ agreements, however, may remain intact. 

The FTC view

Commission members backing the ban argue that noncompete agreements are unfair for workers. 

“It is so profoundly unfree and unfair for people to be stuck in jobs they want to leave, not because they lacked better alternatives, but because noncompetes preclude another firm from fairly competing for their labor,” FTC Commissioner Rebecca Slaughter (D) said. 

The chairwoman of the FTC argued that the ban will foster new business formation.

“Noncompete clauses keep wages low, suppress new ideas, and rob the American economy of dynamism, including from the more than 8,500 new startups that would be created a year once noncompetes are banned,” said FTC Chair Lina M. Khan. “The FTC’s final rule to ban noncompetes will ensure Americans have the freedom to pursue a new job, start a new business, or bring a new idea to market.”

Businesses strongly disagree

Business groups blasted the rule, arguing that noncompetes are important to the protection of intellectual property and that the FTC lacks the authority even to issue such a ban. 

Bills have been introduced in Congress to reform noncompete agreements, but no authority has been explicitly granted to the FTC. 

Suzanne Clark, president and CEO of the U.S. �߲�ֱ�� of Commerce said that the ban is “a blatant power grab that will undermine American businesses’ ability to remain competitive.”

Melissa Holyoak and Andrew Ferguson, two of the agency’s Republican commissioners, echoed these sentiments. 

“We are not a legislature,” Ferguson . “I do not believe we have the power to nullify tens of millions of existing contracts.”

In a press release from the National Association of Manufacturers, the organization that the ban is “Unprecedented and threatens manufacturers’ ability to attract and retain talent. In addition, today’s action puts at risk the security of intellectual property and trade secrets — anathema to an industry that accounts for 53% of all private-sector R&D.” 

The Arizona �߲�ֱ�� of Commerce & Industry called it “federal overreach at its finest.”

Read more

Arizona �߲�ֱ�� President and CEO Danny Seiden in a column last year when the ban was originally floated by the FTC, said, “The proposed rule stretches the agency’s mission to the point of absurdity and seeks to unilaterally reinterpret the section of the Federal Trade Commission Act on ‘unfair methods of competition,’ never mind what the pesky legislative branch or the 50 states might have to say on the subject.”

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A bipartisan coalition of Western state governors is seeking greater flexibility from the Biden administration in achieving the strict ozone standards in the Clean Air Act. 

In a letter from Arizona Gov. Katie Hobbs (D), Colorado Gov. Jared Polis (D), Utah Gov. Spencer Cox (R), and Wyoming Gov. Mark Gordon (R), the governors cite “substantial regionally specific challenges” in meeting the law’s requirements, and say that they are “alarmed about the possible sanctioning of states that struggle to attain the standard.” 

The challenges 

The governors in their letter cite specific challenges borne by Western states in achieving the ozone standards:

• Elevated natural background ozone levels
• Biogenic contributors
•  Internationally transported pollution
•  Fast-growing populations
•  Wildfires

Mobile sources, which are under federal regulatory jurisdiction, thus limiting states’ regulatory authority. 

“Despite ongoing work by Western states to improve air quality, including through accelerating the adoption of low and non-emitting vehicle technology, improvements in the use of small off-road engines, and the implementation of innovative programs to control emissions from stationary sources, these regional challenges leave Western states with a narrow set of tools and a difficult path to meeting the requirements of the CAA and attaining the NAAQS.” 

NAAQS refers to the National Ambient Air Quality Standard. 

Potential sanctions undermine stated goals 

Failure to meet the standards could result in a loss of federal highway dollars. 

Losing out on highway dollars would undermine the goals of the Clean Air Act by halting projects that could reduce emissions and would undermine the goals of the Inflation Reduction Act and the bipartisan infrastructure law to modernize highway infrastructure to reduce congestion, which contributes to emissions. 

Potential solutions 

Among several potential solutions offered in their letter, the governors proposed: 

• Greater cooperation between the EPA and Western states to identify how the Exceptional Events framework can reflect increased wildfire activity, “and provide more consideration for the emissions benefits of wildfire mitigation strategies in reducing air pollution in the West and nationally”; and
• Cooperation between the federal government and states to achieve a better process for the approval of projects with air quality benefits. 

Business community: Jobs at stake 

The National Association of Manufacturers last year said proposed EPA revisions to the NAAQs

would put at risk more than 300,000 manufacturing jobs nationally and would put more than a half-million jobs in a nonattainment zone by 2027. 

Last year, Danny Seiden, the president and CEO of the Arizona �߲�ֱ�� of Commerce & Industry, said before a joint legislative committee on air quality that the challenge of pollution originating in other states and countries was particularly vexing. 

“We are being punished for what other states and other countries are doing,” he said. 

More Seiden: Stringent air quality rule will hurt our economic recovery and growth

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As threats of missile attacks persist, Israel is employing cutting-edge technology and sophisticated equipment for its defense. Among these are technologies developed by defense firms operating in Arizona, highlighting the state’s pivotal defense industry. 

Arrow 

The Arrow system stands out as a premier air defense mechanism against long-range ballistic threats. This high-altitude system is engineered to intercept ballistic missiles outside the Earth’s atmosphere. The Arrow operates through a kinetic kill vehicle, which destroys incoming missiles upon direct contact, thus neutralizing any threat before it can reach its intended target. 

The Arrow system is a joint effort between Israel Aerospace Industries and Boeing. The latter, with operations in Arizona, specifically contributes to the production of the Arrow’s interceptors. Boeing’s expertise in aerospace technologies enhances the efficacy of the Arrow system, providing a significant defense against missile attacks. 

Apache 

Aside from its involvement in the Arrow system, Boeing has a notable presence in supplying equipment to the Israel Defense Forces (IDF). Boeing’s Arizona operations are integral in supplying platforms like the AH-64 Apache helicopter to Israel. 

With Boeing’s manufacturing and innovation hubs located in Arizona, the state serves as a vital nexus in the production of these defense systems. 

David’s Sling 

David’s Sling was developed jointly by Rafael Advanced Defense Systems, an Israeli firm, and Raytheon Technologies, an American company. This form of defense is designed to intercept enemy missiles and rockets, particularly those targeting mid- to long-range. 

Unlike the Arrow, David’s Sling deals with threats such as tactical ballistic missiles, medium- to long-range rockets, and cruise missiles. 

Raytheon has a big presence in Arizona, particularly in Tucson where it’s the city’s largest private employer and where advanced missile systems are designed and manufactured. This presence boosts local economies and plays a critical role in the development of defense technologies that are important on a global scale. 

Some other advanced technologies developed in Arizona used by Israel include night vision equipment from Litton Systems and micro-processing products from White Microelectronics. 

These partnerships are facilitated by Arizona’s strategic initiatives, such as the trade office opened in Israel in 2019 and are bolstered by funding from collaborations like the Binational Industrial Research and Development Foundation (BIRD). These partnerships enhance military and defense capabilities, while also stimulating economic growth by creating jobs and fostering technological advancements in both regions.

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�߲�ֱ�� sat down recently with Benji Backer, the founder of the American Conservation Coalition and the author of The Conservative Environmentalist: Common Sense Solutions for a Sustainable Future, which was released Apr. 16. Part 1 of the interview is here. Part 2 follows.

�߲�ֱ��: You’re the author of a new book, The Conservative Environmentalist: Common Sense Solutions for a Sustainable Future. What’s your book about? 

Benji Backer: I’ve spent the last seven years traveling to hundreds of communities, rural and urban, to find solutions to environmental challenges and see the realities and complexities firsthand. This book is a culmination of all those experiences and partnerships with amazing organizations and people to basically build out this alternative path on environmental action. 

The book details why this issue became so divided, and how that’s unnecessary, but most importantly it talks about what sort of solutions people could agree on and what short term wins we can ally on to protect our environment. 

Those things include things that aren’t that sexy or exciting compared to what has been proposed in headlines like “drill, baby drill,” or banning fossil fuels. But there are a ton of common-sense solutions that are outlined in the book that we could pursue right now, while also leaning on entrepreneurship, innovation, the growth of technology, and ingenuity in this country and across the world to solve the remainder of the challenge. 

It basically charts that alternative approach. And it calls on our leaders to do that, too. 

CBN: Are there some small wins to be had? 

Bracker: We cannot solve environmental challenges without incrementalism. This is a walk, then jog, then run, approach. Overhauling people’s lives will never be a sustainable way forward because people will never adopt that. People will always push back.  

We need to create solutions that work for people and the planet. We need to be lowering costs and increasing efficiency. We need to make people’s lives better with the solutions, otherwise it will never be adopted here or anywhere else around the world.  

So, that means incrementalism and getting some wins under our belt, getting the momentum in the right direction. And thankfully, we already have. The United States is leading the world in reducing carbon emissions. We have not done enough, but we are moving in the right direction,

CBN: Chapter 2 is titled, “Streamlining the Complicated Role of Government in the New Green Economy.” Tell us about your argument there. 

Backer: Contrary to popular belief, the government has actually stood in the way of clean energy development and pro-environmental projects. It takes 10 years for an offshore wind developer or a geothermal company to get approved. You have forest owners who cannot manage their forests because of government regulation that results in massive wildfires. 

I’m not saying that we should just take a hands-off, laissez faire approach to solve environmental challenges. But the government can also overstep its bounds and stand in the way of progress. And that’s what’s happening right now in a lot of ways. 

Even though it might not sound pro-environment to loosen regulations and allow people to manage forests and get energy projects deployed faster when they don’t have to go through as lengthy of an approval process, it actually will end up helping us. And you can see that as proof from other countries that are doing this way better than we are. You look at Europe and their ability to manage forests and deploy nuclear and other clean energy sources fast. 

Benji Backer, Founder and Executive Chairman, American Conservation Coalition

CBN: To what extent should a regulation’s effect on business be considered before being adopted? 

Backer: First, we have to turn this issue on its head; we should be relying on the private sector as the first place that we go for solutions, then we should be looking at the local government, then the state government, and then the federal government.  

Let’s say the government is an important part of an environmental solution in the energy space. It should be equipping and incentivizing the right behavior, not prohibiting, and regulating and mandating. 

When you put chokeholds on the economy, and you don’t push people in the right direction, you get bad results. 

I see the role of the government as supporting the right moves to create the marketplace for sustainable business, not to prevent against unsustainable business. We should be equipping companies to do the right thing rather than prohibiting them from doing the wrong thing.

CBN: On the topic of energy, coal is being phased out. Can natural gas and nuclear energy be part of a clean energy future? 

Backer: We can’t have a clean energy future without nuclear and natural gas. We need base load, 24/7 power, and we have to have reliable energy that doesn’t just work when the sun shines and the wind blows.  

There are a lot of parts of this country that aren’t sunny, and there are a lot of parts of this country that aren’t windy, and every part of this country that has a nighttime and doesn’t have wind or sun, so we need to be realistic about what energy sources we’re providing.  

We also have an obligation to middle and lower-class people to provide them with energy that is cost effective. Nuclear and natural gas do that in a way that also is pro-environment. 

If you replace coal with natural gas, you reduce emissions significantly worldwide. Again, that’s why the United States has reduced emissions.

People will use the energy sources that are the lowest cost option, and right now natural gas is a clean way to do that, a reliable way to do that. 

CBN: What are the opponents of nuclear and natural gas missing? 

Backer: Unfortunately, they’re missing reality. I think there’s a lot of ignorance and a lot of misinformation out there and oversimplification. 

To be anti-natural gas or nuclear is ignorant at best, and destructive — intentionally destructive at worst. 

I think it boils down for most well-intentioned people to ignorance, but also this kind of idea of NIMBYism. Not-in-my-backyardism. People don’t want even wind turbines or solar panels, but especially natural gas plants, or mining for uranium, or nuclear plants themselves in their backyards.  

But again, that demand is going to be met somewhere. So, if it’s not near you, it’s near someone else. And if it’s not near someone else, then it’s probably overseas where countries like China don’t care about their impact on the environment.  

CBN: There is a vocal counter argument to what you’re saying, which is that renewables are ready today to replace these sources. You seem skeptical of that. 

Backer: I wish renewables were ready today. I’m skeptical that they will ever be at the scale that people want them to be, but they’re not ready. They are not ready for mass adoption and to replace our energy portfolio. And people who are saying that renewables are ready to replace all other energy sources are flat out wrong and they’re either lying or they don’t know the realities.

Again, I wish that wasn’t the case. I don’t want it to come across to people that I am anti-renewables. There’s a reality here that is being missed by so many, and we, I think, forget as a country, how reliant we are on energy to survive. Intermittent, sparsely resourced energy sources are not the way forward. It would turn America backwards and harm our most vulnerable people. 

I hate when people use that as an argument to say that we don’t need renewables, because that’s not true, either. They have an important place at the table. But I also hate it when people say that that’s all we need, because that’s not true, and that’s even more damaging to society than saying that we don’t need them at all. 

CBN: Can we be good stewards of the land and still engage in industries like mining, drilling, and hydraulic fracturing? 

Backer: If humans didn’t exist on the earth with the population we have, then we wouldn’t have to have these tough conversations about tradeoffs.  

But I believe in humanity, and I believe in our ability to make this world a better place, and I believe our population can do a lot of good. And so, if we have the population we do, we will have demand for resources that constantly means we’re taking from the environment.  

We have to mine, no matter if that’s for uranium, for nuclear fuel, or lithium for EV batteries, or cobalt for solar panels, wind turbines, every single energy source product. 

Not all mining and drilling and taking from the environment is the same. We should have high standards. We should prioritize protecting the places that we’re not taking from. And we should be creating technologies to figure out how to take the least from the environment possible. 

CBN: When we think about policy in the environmental policy space, we often are dealing with the executive branch rulemaking regulations. Do you have an opinion on whether you’d like to see these issues be discussed in Congress or in the White House? 

Backer: I think the role of Congress is to find a bipartisan common ground on these issues. But the problem with relying on the federal government is that you allow it to be a political football. If it’s partisan, it’s inherently at risk of being undone. And I think Congress and the White House have an obligation. I don’t think President Biden has done a good job of this at all. And I don’t think President Trump did a good job of this at all, of working with the other side, to come up with solutions. 

CBN: When will we know whether your organization has achieved its goals? 

Backer: The moment that our organization, this book, this entire movement, has achieved its goals is the day that we return to cross partisan collaboration on the environment again.  

I believe nature is nonpartisan, and until our elected leaders understand that too, our movement has not worked. But once they do, we’ve done our job, and it’s time to move forward on the solutions. But until Americans demand that they work together on this, they won’t. 

That’s why I’m calling on all people, regardless of political ideology, to stand together and fight for these principles because we need it. We are in desperate need of a new environmental movement, and that new environmental movement will be successful when we’re seeing it in policy and when the environment is no longer part of our culture wars.

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�߲�ֱ�� sat down recently with Benji Backer, the founder of the American Conservation Coalition and the author of The Conservative Environmentalist: Common Sense Solutions for a Sustainable Future, which will be released Apr. 16.

Here’s part 1 of our conversation. Portions have been edited for clarity.

�߲�ֱ��: What is the American Conservation Coalition?

Benji Backer: The American Conservation Coalition is an organization I started when I was at college at the University of Washington. The last 16 years I have been active in politics. My other passion is being in the outdoors, which led me to move to Arizona. I fell in love with the outdoors here. To me, when I’m in nature, the environment itself doesn’t seem political or partisan. and I became super frustrated that the narrative in environmental politics has been and was at the time basically like this Green New Deal alarmist, “the world’s gonna end”, or we need huge government action to overhaul the economy, or we should be doing nothing – that there’s no problem at all.

So, the American Conservation Coalition and this book aim to fill that gap by creating a grassroots community of young people like me – 40,000 of us now over 200 communities – in chapters that are pushing elected officials, business leaders, and decision makers to prioritize the environment in a way that is good for humanity, good for our economy, good for our individual lives, and allowing us to have individual liberty and prosperity at the same time. It’s basically creating an alternative environmental movement.

CBN: Do you anticipate the Coalition making its voice heard in the presidential election?

Backer: We feel like the presidential election this year and previous years has been an encapsulation of part of the problem, which is that the narrative is still kind of this doom and gloom. “We need drastic action,” versus “these issues don’t matter.” 

We feel like, regardless of who wins, we need to make progress, and we need to do it in a common sense, realistic way. So, we’re not going to be weighing in on endorsing a candidate in the 2024 election.

We will be endorsing some congressional candidates – ones that have prioritized the environment and prioritized this kind of common sense, pro-economy approach. But at the presidential level, we just feel like it’s another election where, unfortunately, even though most Americans don’t believe the denial versus alarmist narrative, that’s unfortunately the narrative that we’re kind of having to buy into by choosing a candidate. So we’re just setting our sights on what we can accomplish after the election at the state and federal levels.

Benji Backer, Founder and Executive Chairman, American Conservation Coalition

CBN: Why do you believe conservatism, properly understood, goes hand in hand with conservation?

Backer: The conservatives used to lead environmental progress. You look back at Teddy Roosevelt, to Richard Nixon, to Ronald Reagan, and George H.W. Bush, those four presidents, all Republicans, led the most historic environmental initiatives of all time. The Clean Air Act, the Clean Water Act, the Endangered Species Act, creation of the EPA, creation of the National Park system as we know it, the largest marine sanctuary and public lands protections of all time. Those are all under those presidents.

Conservatism used to have conservation as a core pillar of its value system. But most importantly, there’s a reason for that. And the reason is, conservatives who tend to  be freedom loving Americans who appreciate the beauty of our country, love to recreate in nature. They’re often the hunters and fishermen and women. They’re the ranchers and the farmers. They’re the hikers and skiers and people who just love spending time outdoors. Of course they want to protect [the environment]. And, you know, conservatives tend to be more often than not located in rural areas, which are nestled in nature itself.

When you think about Arizona, or you think about any of the states in the West, the most conservative parts are parts in nature, and they have a personal stake in protecting the environment. So, what my message is, is that this issue used to be one that conservatives led on and it can be again. It’s an authentically conservative position, but it’s authentically a nonpartisan position as well. To me nature is nonpartisan – to me the environment is something that we all share.

CBN: Can the views and agenda of the American Conservation Coalition and those expressed in your book still have a home in today’s version of conservatism, which tends to be defined by the views and attitudes of the former president and his supporters?

Backer: I think the conservative movement has absolutely lost its way on these issues. This is a new problem, and it’s one that is so avoidable and unnecessary. 

The reason why Trump supporters and conservatives are so skeptical of environmental action is because they perceive that the only solutions are ones that are going to hurt them and take control of their lives. And what I’m trying to tell conservative leaders and voters is that that’s not the case. Just because you don’t like the other side’s ideas doesn’t mean that you can’t propose good ideas of your own. You should be playing offense and proposing good ideas.

I don’t think that it’s too late to turn the tide by any means, but I do think that it’s harmful when the president talks about the environment as basically a consumer good, and that we can just kind of tap into it as much as we want and that there aren’t any repercussions. I think he’s very misguided in that, and I think if he wants to show young people that he actually cares about them and this country, he changes his tune. 

This issue is going to be important past the time that Trump is relevant. This is going to be something that we have to fight for for decades, and my generation’s right and left isn’t going to tolerate environmental inaction.

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A new bipartisan effort led by Rep. Juan Ciscomani (R-AZ) in the U.S. House of Representatives aims to widen veterans’ access to educational opportunities, particularly in high-demand skilled trade and vocational programs. 

The proposed bill, titled the Veterans Education and Technical Skills (VETS) Opportunity Act, aims to extend educational benefits under the post-9/11 GI Bill to include hybrid versions of skilled trade training programs. 

The bill’s backers say the initiative represents a significant step towards modernizing veterans’ educational benefits to align with evolving learning trends and address workforce shortages in essential trades. 

“This legislation makes an important modernization to our veterans’ GI benefits to include hybrid skilled trade educational programs,” Ciscomani said. “Not only does this improve the way our veterans access their benefits but also helps to tackle the current workforce shortage in skilled trades.”

Veterans often face barriers to employment upon returning to civilian life, including a lack of access to relevant training and certification programs. The VETS Opportunity Act seeks to dismantle these barriers by providing veterans with the necessary resources to acquire in-demand skills and qualifications, which would enhance their employment prospects in today’s competitive job market.

Hiring veterans is likely to boost private firms’ bottom line.

Consulting firm McKinsey & Co. last year that veterans are “a source of labor potential that is untapped relative to the breadth of experience and depth of skills that they acquire and develop during their service,” and that “the economic opportunity of unleashing the value of veterans’ work experience through skills-based hiring could reach almost $15 billion over a ten-year period.”

Support for the bill comes from various organizations including the American Legion and the National Association of State Approving Agencies (NASAA).

“The proposed change would expand post-9/11 GI Bill eligibility to veterans enrolled in high-quality, postsecondary programs offered in a hybrid educational format that teach in-demand skilled trades that are aligned with the requirements of state and local employers,” John Bowen, Sr., chairman of the American Legion’s Veterans Employment & Education Commission said. 

The VETS Opportunity Act has been referred to the House Veterans’ Affairs Committee.

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With regular committee hearings now wrapped up for the legislative session, the state Legislature returned to the Capitol Wednesday under a one-day-a-week schedule. 

The House and Senate will conduct floor sessions to determine the fate of bills that have made their way through the committee process in both chambers, deciding whether to send them to the governor to be signed or vetoed. 

State budget 

The big remaining item on the to-do list is to hash out a fiscal year 2025 state budget amid a projected significant shortfall. The last Finance Advisory Committee report projected a combined fiscal year 2024 and fiscal year 2025 shortfall of $1.7 billion, although lawmakers will receive new FAC projections later today.

The budget picture means that legislators who are backing bills with big spending implications are facing major headwinds, as legislative leaders are looking to cut spending to bring the budget into balance. 

Bills that have been tagged as “money bills” – meaning they would add new spending – are stalled in each chamber’s Rules Committee and won’t move to a floor vote unless they are folded into the multi-bill package that compromises the state budget.  

Agency continuations 

Also left for the Legislature to address are agency continuations. 

The Legislature periodically reviews whether to renew state agencies or to shutter them. The process involves assessing agency audits performed by the state auditor general and considering recommendations from oversight committees known as committees of reference that take testimony from the auditor general and agency officials. 

This year’s major continuation involves the Arizona Commerce Authority.

The state House of Representatives Appropriations Committee last month voted to extend the Arizona Commerce Authority for an additional five years.

That bill now awaits consideration by the full House. If passed, it would have to return to the Senate for a final vote of that chamber.

The ACA continuation is strongly supported by a broad coalition of the business community.

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