WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, U.S. Congressman Greg Stanton, D-Ariz., issued the following statement in response to the Trump Administration pulling back the nomination of Ted Cooke to lead the Bureau of Reclamation:
“Ted Cooke was eminently qualified to lead the Bureau of Reclamation. However, the Trump Administration withdrew his nomination at the apparent request of Upper Basin state senators, leaving this critical agency without leadership during the most perilous period in Colorado River history.
“This politicization could not have come at a worse time. Basin states have just weeks to forge consensus on post-2026 river management guidelines, yet they remain as divided as ever. With negotiations at such a crucial juncture, the Bureau of Reclamation needs experienced, steady leadership—not a vacancy at the top.”
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Congressman Greg Stanton is the former mayor of Phoenix now proudly representing Arizona’s 4th District in Congress—encompassing all of Tempe, and parts of Phoenix, Mesa and Chandler. Stanton serves on the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, the Foreign Affairs Committee and the Select Committee on the Strategic Competition Between the United States and the Chinese Communist Party. He serves in leadership of the New Democrat Coalition—a group of more than 100 moderate, solutions-oriented Democrats.
Reach Congressman Stanton’s office through a new, toll-free constituent services hotline — 1-833-643-6114 — that connects residents of Arizona’s Fourth Congressional District directly with Stanton’s staff to request help with federal agencies, schedule tours and meetings, or share opinions on legislation.