The mainstream media would have us believe that Washington, D.C. is in total gridlock, but votes are happening, bills are moving, and here’s one in particular that’s important to Coloradans.

The Natural Resources Committee passed a bill this week that would modernize the 1906 Antiquities Act that has allowed past presidents, Democrats mostly, to abuse their power and make massive land grabs to block grazing and energy development and appease their environmental base.

The bill would block presidents from designating monuments larger than 85,000, like the massive grab former President Clinton made in Utah to block mining when he created the 3.6 million acre Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument.

Democrats are also notorious for ignoring the will of local residents when making these sweeping designation, so the bill would give states and local officials veto power over monuments larger than 10,000 acres.

This reigning in of power it completely reasonable and because some Democrats don’t play well with others, totally necessary.

U.S. Reps. Doug Lamborn and Scott Tipton are on the committee that passed the measure. It now heads to the House floor for a vote and we would urge the Colorado delegation to support it.