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Chairman Hastings: Our Federal Forests are Being Badly Managed and There Have Been Devastating Consequences

| Posted in Press Release

House Natural Resources Committee Chairman Doc Hastings delivered the following statement on the House floor today in support of H.R. 1526, the Restoring Healthy Forests for Healthy Communities Act: “Mr. Chairman, over the last few months deadly wildfires, specifically in California, Arizona, Colorado and other western states, have highlighted the growing problem with our…

Hastings Statement on Senate Action on Helium Legislation

| Posted in Press Release

House Natural Resources Committee Chairman Doc Hastings (WA-04) issued the following statement regarding Senate adoption of an amendment to HR 527, the Responsible Helium Administration and Stewardship Act. “In April, the House acted in a bipartisan, near unanimous fashion to pass comprehensive legislation to prevent an immediate helium shortage and reform the federal helium program to…

USDA, OMB Miss Deadline to Comply with Subpoenas for Documents on Retroactive Cuts to Secure Rural School Payments

| Posted in Press Release

House Natural Resources Committee Chairman Doc Hastings (WA-04) today sent follow-up letters to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and Office of Management and Budget (OMB) after they failed to meet the September 18th deadline to comply with subpoenas for documents on the Obama Administration’s decision to retroactively subject 2012 Secure Rural School (SRS) payments to the fiscal…

Witnesses Agree Federal Regulatory Changes will Benefit Current and Future Hydropower Projects

| Posted in Press Release

Today, the House Natural Resources Subcommittee on Water and Power held an oversight hearing on “Keeping Hydropower Affordable and Reliable: The Protection of Existing Hydropower Investments and the Promotion of New Development.” This hearing highlighted how existing federal and non-federal hydropower resources are compromised by litigation and regulation, while new hydropower projects…

Counties, Forestry Councils, and Schools Call for Passage of H.R. 1526, Restoring Healthy Forests for Healthy Communities Act

| Posted in Press Release

Today the House of Representatives will begin consideration of H.R. 1526, Restoring Healthy Forests for Healthy Communities Act, legislation that renews the federal government’s commitment to manage federal forests for the benefit of rural schools and counties and to improve forest health. The bill is supported by over 140 local and national organizations, including 68 counties in 17…

House Approves Job-Creating Strategic & Critical Minerals Bill

| Posted in Press Release

Today, the House of Representatives passed H.R. 761, the National Strategic and Critical Minerals Production Act by a bipartisan vote of 246-178. This legislation, sponsored by Rep. Mark Amodei (NV-02), would allow the United States to more efficiently develop America’s strategic and critical minerals, such as rare earth elements, that are vital to job creation, American economic…

Chairman Hastings: Critical Minerals are Essential to American Jobs and our 21st Century Economy

| Posted in Floor Statements

House Natural Resources Committee Chairman Doc Hastings delivered the following statement on the House floor today in support of H.R. 761, The National Strategic and Critical Minerals Production Act. “Mr. Chairman, I rise today in strong support of H.R. 761, the National Strategic and Critical Minerals Production Act. Not a day goes by when Americans don’t use a product that is made…

Witnesses Call for Increased Flexibility in the Reauthorization of the Magnuson-Stevens Act

| Posted in Press Release

Today, the House Natural Resources Committee held its fourth oversight hearing of the 113th Congress on the “Reauthorization of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act.” This hearing examined potential reforms needed to make sure the law benefits both fish and fishermen. The Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (MSA) is the primary statute…

Hastings, DeFazio Ask Energy Secretary Moniz to Help Keep Electricity Affordable for Pacific Northwest Ratepayers

| Posted in Press Release

Today, House Natural Resources Committee Chairman Doc Hastings (WA-04) and Ranking Democratic Member Peter DeFazio (OR-04) sent a letter to Secretary of Energy Ernest Moniz urging him to listen to regional electric customer input before implementing new proposals that could force additional operating costs on the Bonneville Power Administration (Bonneville) and the Western Area Power…

Witnesses: Endangered Species Act Must be Improved to Better Protect both Species and Local Economies

| Posted in Press Release

Today, the House Natural Resources Committee held two Full Committee field hearings in Casper, Wyoming and Billings, Montana on “State and Local Efforts to Protect Species, Jobs, Property, and Multiple Use Amidst a New War on the West.” At these hearings, witnesses discussed how federal Endangered Species Act (ESA) listings can impact local jobs and the economy and how federal litigation…