News List

Chairman Hastings Correspondence with Former White House Aide Joseph Aldy Regarding Regarding Role in Producing the Gulf Drilling Moratorium Report
Letters
Sep 7, 2012 - Dear Mr. Aldy: On May 27, 2010, the Department of the Interior ("Department") issued a final report entitled "Increased Safety Measures for Energy Development on the Outer Continental Shelf' ("Drilling Moratorium Report") that recommended a moratorium on otlshore oil and gas drilling. The Executive Summary of the Drill... More

Two Department Officials Called to Testify on Edits made to Gulf Drilling Moratorium Report, Issued Subpoenas for Documents
Press Release
Aug 30, 2012 - House Natural Resources Committee Chairman Doc Hastings (WA-04) today sent letters to two Interior Department officials inviting them to appear at a Full Committee hearing on September 13, 2012 to answer questions regarding the Department of the Interior’s Drilling Moratorium Report that was edited to appear as though ... More

Chairman Hastings Invitation Letter to Department of the Interior Officials Neal Kemkar and Mary Katherine Ishee to Testify at Full Committee Oversight Hearing
Letters
Aug 30, 2012 - Dear Mr. Kemkar and Ms. Ishee: On July 18, 2012, you were both invited to voluntarily appear at a planned July 25, 2012 Committee on Natural Resources (“Committee”) hearing regarding the Obama Administration’s decision imposing a Gulf of Mexico drilling moratorium and the drafting and editing of the May 27, 2010 report... More

Chairman Hastings Memorandum Providing Notice to Committee Members that a Subpoena was Issued to Two Officials at the Department of the Interior
Letters
Aug 30, 2012 - August 30, 2012 TO: Members, Committee on Natural Resources FROM: Doc Hastings, Chairman RE: Subpoenas issued I hereby give notice that I have issued a subpoena duces tecum (for documents) to two officials at the Department of the Interior, Neal Kemkar and Mary Katherine Ishee. A copy of the subpoenas may be reviewed i... More

Secretary Chu Again Invited to Testify on Memorandum Directives that Could Increase Electricity Rates for Over 40 Million Americans
Press Release
Aug 29, 2012 - House Natural Resources Committee Chairman Doc Hastings (WA-04) today sent a letter to Department of Energy (DOE) Secretary Steven Chu inviting him to testify at a Full Committee hearing on Tuesday, September 11th regarding his Memorandum to the Power Marketing Administrations (PMAs). Secretary Chu was originally invit... More

Chairman Hastings Second Invitation Letter to Department of Energy Secretary Steven Chu to Testify on His Recent Power Marketing Administrations Memorandum
Letters
Aug 29, 2012 - Dear Secretary Chu: As you know, your March 16, 2012 Memorandum to the Power Marketing Administrations (PMAs) has generated many questions and controversy. As a result, both Republican and Democratic House Members and Senators have joined together to send letters of concern over your proposal and the House passed a bip... More

Chairman Hastings Follow-up Letter to Acting Inspector General Mary Kendall on the Department of the Interior's Renewable Energy Programs
Letters
Aug 22, 2012 - Dear Ms. Kendall: For several months, the Committee on Natural Resources has been looking into questions about possible political interference, lack of independence, and conflict of interest involving an investigation by the Office of Inspector General (“IG”) into the editing of a Department of the Interior offshore dr... More

Chairman Hastings Letter to Council on Environmental Quality Chairwoman Nancy Sutley and Office of Science and Technology Policy Director John Holdren Requesting Answers to Outstanding Questions on National Ocean Policy Before Final Implementation
Letters
Aug 15, 2012 - Dear Chairwoman Sutley and Director Holdren: More than two years have passed since President Obama unilaterally issued a new National Ocean Policy that created an expansive federal bureaucracy to manage ocean activities and resources without any specific Congressional approval, and more than eight months have passed si... More

Chairman Hastings and Rep. David Rivera Letter to Secretary Salazar on Record-Keeping of Foreign-Owned Companies That Have U.S. Leases
Letters
Aug 13, 2012 - Dear Secretary Salazar: We write to draw your attention to two national security issues that have been raised in oversight hearings before the House Committee on Natural Resources in recent months. Foreign-multinational energy companies currently hold development leases and operate in the American Outer Continental She... More

On the Motion to Authorize the Issuance of Subpoenas
Committee Votes
Aug 1, 2012 - On the Motion to Authorize the Issuance of Subpoenas (Passed 26-17. View Roll Call Vote) This motion provided the Chairman of the Natural Resources Committee with authority to issue subpoenas to five specific individuals, and potentially others who have direct knowledge or involvement in the drafting, editing or review... More

Committee Approves Motion Authorizing Chairman to Issue Subpoenas to Compel Obama Administration Witnesses to Appear to Answer Questions on Gulf Drilling Moratorium Report
Press Release
Aug 1, 2012 - Today, the House Natural Resources Committee approved a motion with a 26-17 vote to provide the Chairman with authority to issue subpoenas to five Obama Administration officials and potentially others who have direct knowledge or involvement in the drafting, editing or review of the Department of the Interior Drilling ... More

Chairman Hastings Announces Full Committee Meeting to Consider Motion to Authorize Issuance of Subpoenas
Committee Action
Jul 27, 2012 - On Wednesday, August 1st the Natural Resources Committee will meet to consider a motion to authorize Chairman Hastings to issue subpoenas for five Interior Department officials, and others as may be necessary, to appear before the Committee to give testimony and answer questions. The agenda will also include the markup... More

DOI Acting Inspector General Called to Testify Before Full House Natural Resources Committee
Committee Action
Jul 26, 2012 - House Natural Resources Committee Chairman Doc Hastings (WA-04) today invited the Department of the Interior’s Acting Inspector General Mary Kendall to testify at a Full Committee hearing on Thursday, August 2nd titled “Oversight of the Actions, Independence and Accountability of the Acting Inspector General of the Dep... More

Chairman Hastings Invitation Letter to Interior Department Acting Inspector General to Testify at Full Committee Oversight Hearing
Letters
Jul 26, 2012 - Dear Ms. Kendall: The Committee on Natural Resources will hold an oversight hearing titled “Oversight of the Actions, Independence and Accountability of the Acting Inspector General of the Department of the Interior” on August 2, 2012. The Committee requests your attendance at this hearing to provide testimony and to a... More

Bipartisan House of Reps. Approves Virginia Offshore Lease Sale that President Obama Canceled Indefinitely
Press Release
Jul 25, 2012 - Today, in a bipartisan vote of 253-170, the House approved H.R. 6082, to replace President Obama’s no-new-jobs, no-new-drilling plan with a responsible, robust plan that offers 29 offshore lease sales, including Virginia Lease Sale 220 that was scheduled to take place in 2011 and has since been delayed and canceled by ... More

House Rejects President Obama's Offshore Plan, Embraces Bipartisan Replacement to Create American Jobs with New American Energy
Press Release
Jul 25, 2012 - Today, the House of Representatives, by a bipartisan vote of 164-261 rejected H.R. 6168, a bill to implement President Obama’s offshore drilling plan that places 85 percent of America’s offshore energy resources under lock-and-key. In a separate bipartisan vote of 253-170, the House approved H.R. 6082, to replace Presi... More

Chairman Hastings' Floor Statement on the Congressional Replacement of President Obama's No-New-Drilling, No-New-Jobs Offshore Plan
Floor Statements
Jul 24, 2012 - House Natural Resources Committee Chairman Doc Hastings (WA-04) delivered the following opening statement on the House floor today in support of H.R. 6082, the Congressional Replacement of President Obama’s Energy-Restricting and Job-Limiting Offshore Drilling Plan. “Under the shadow of the Supreme Court’s ruling on Ob... More

Decision Time: House to Take Direct Votes on Both President Obama's Proposed Offshore Leasing Plan and Bipartisan Replacement Plan to Boost American Energy and Jobs
Press Release
Jul 24, 2012 - Tomorrow, the House of Representatives will vote on two distinct visions for America’s energy future: 1) H.R. 6168, “President Obama’s Proposed 2012-2017 Offshore Drilling Lease Sale Plan Act”, which locks-away 85 percent of America’s offshore from energy production and reimposes the pre-2008 offshore moratoria, or 2) ... More

Interior Department Defies Subpoena for Documents and Now Refuses to Commit Witnesses to Attend Hearing to Answer Questions on Gulf Drilling Moratorium
Press Release
Jul 24, 2012 - The Department of the Interior has refused to confirm that it will make available five Department officials invited to testify and answer questions at a Full Committee hearing on Wednesday regarding the May 2010 Interior Department action to impose a six-month drilling moratorium in the Gulf of Mexico and the Departmen... More

All Witnesses Agree: Litigation, Red Tape Fuel Megafires that Damage Forests, Communities, and Species
Press Release
Jul 24, 2012 - Today, the House Natural Resources Committee held an oversight hearing on, “The Impact of Catastrophic Forest Fires and Litigation on People and Endangered Species: Time for Rational Management of our Nation's Forests.” The hearing focused on the devastating impacts of catastrophic wildfires on people and species and h... More

Acting Inspector General Mary Kendall Response to Chairman Hastings' Request for Information on the Department of the Interior's Renewable Energy Programs
Letters
Jul 20, 2012 - Dear Mr. Chairman: This responds to your letter of May 30, 2012, in which you requested the following information... The lists you requested are enclosed. We also enclose lists of other energy-related IG reviews that are not specifically focused on renewable energy, as these reflect a significant body of our work. You ... More

Interior Department Officials Called to Publicly Answer Questions on Gulf Drilling Moratorium at Full Committee Hearing
Committee Action
Jul 18, 2012 - On Wednesday, July 25th the Committee on Natural Resources will hold an oversight hearing on “Investigation of President Obama’s Gulf Drilling Moratorium: Questioning of Key Department of the Interior Officials.” Due to the Department of the Interior’s failure to comply with an official Congressional subpoena issued in... More

Chairman Hastings Invitation Letter to Interior Department Officials to Testify at Full Committee Gulf Drilling Moratorium Oversight Hearing
Letters
Jul 18, 2012 - Dear Mr. Black / Mr. Kemkar / Ms. Ishee / Mr. Cruickshank / Ms. Hanley: The Committee on Natural Resources will hold an oversight hearing on July 25, 2012 to continue the ongoing investigation into the circumstances surrounding 1) how a decision was made by the Obama Administration to impose a drilling moratorium in th... More

OSM Director Pizarchik to Testify at Thursday's Oversight Hearing on Status of Coal Regulations
Press Release
Jul 16, 2012 - The House Natural Resources Committee has confirmed that Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement (OSM) Director Joseph Pizarchik will testify at a July 19th oversight hearing on the status of the Department of the Interior’s rewrite of a 2008 coal regulation that could cost thousands of jobs and economic h... More

How Many Times Can the New York Times Get it Wrong?
Hot Air Alert
Jul 16, 2012 - On Sunday, the New York Times Editorial Board rushed to the defense of President Obama who’s feeling the pressure this election season for proposing an offshore drilling plan that keeps 85 percent of America’s offshore areas off-limits to energy production. The President’s plan, under law, is currently undergoing a man... More

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