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Chairman Hastings Statement on the Violence Against Women Act

| Posted in Press Release

House Natural Resources Committee Chairman Doc Hastings (WA-04) released the following statement on the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA): “During my service in Congress representing Central Washington, I have always voted to renew the Violence Against Women Act. As a husband, a father, and a grandfather, I strongly believe that providing protection for all women against domestic…

U.S. Dependence on Middle East Oil Increases Under President Obama While Federal Oil and Natural Gas Production Decline

| Posted in Hot Air Alert

The U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) yesterday released disturbing new data that shows the United States has been increasing its dependence on oil from one of the most unstable regions in the world. Middle Eastern oil now accounts for more than 25 percent of American oil imports—a nine year high that has come at the same time as record gasoline prices. No wonder gasoline…

State Forests Management Superior to Federal Forests for Job Creation, Revenue Production, Local Economies and Fire Prevention

| Posted in Press Release

Today the House Subcommittee on Public Lands and Environmental Regulation held a hearing examining, “State Forest Management: A Model for Promoting Healthy Forests, Rural Schools and Jobs.” The hearing was an opportunity to hear from state leaders, local land managers and timber experts on the inadequacies and burdens of current federal forest management practices that have contributed to…

Amid Renewed Lawsuits, Chairman Hastings Calls on Obama Administration to Answer Questions on Job Destroying Coal Regulation

| Posted in Press Release

House Natural Resources Committee Chairman Doc Hastings (WA-04) today sent a letter to Department of the Interior Secretary Ken Salazar to follow up on a more than two and a half year investigation into the Obama Administration’s decision to throw out the 2008 Stream Buffer Zone coal regulation, and write a new regulation that could destroy up to 7,000 coal mining jobs and cause economic…

Hastings, Lucas, Peterson Praise Federal Court Ruling on NOAA’s Salmon Opinion

| Posted in Press Release

In a major victory for American agriculture, the 4th Circuit Court of Appeals issued a landmark ruling Thursday in the case Dow AgroSciences LLC v. National Marine Fisheries Service reaffirming that government decision-making must be based on science and not the misguided agenda of activist groups. House Natural Resources Chairman Doc Hastings, House Agriculture Chairman Frank Lucas, and…

Chairman Hastings Receives “Water Warrior” Award, Delivers Keynote Speech at Family Farm Alliance Annual Conference

| Posted in Press Release

House Natural Resources Committee Chairman Doc Hastings (WA-04) today received the “Water Warrior” award from the Family Farm Alliance at their annual conference. The Family Farm Alliance is an advocate for family farmers, ranchers, irrigation districts, and allied industries in seventeen Western states. The award is given to individuals who have provided long-term support for western…

Chairman Hastings' Keynote Speech before the Family Farm Alliance Annual Conference

| Posted in Op-Eds and Speeches

Thank you for that warm welcome and introduction, Mike (LaPlant). For those of you who don’t know, Mike is the President of the Washington State Farm Bureau and a Director of the Quincy-Columbia Basin Irrigation District.  Mike is not only a constituent from Ephrata, Washington, but a friend. And I want to thank you at the Family Farm Alliance for inviting me here today. We…

President Obama’s American Energy Logic: Block Energy Production in Area Specifically Established for Energy Production

| Posted in Press Release

House Natural Resources Committee Chairman Doc Hastings (WA-04) today released the following statement after the Department of the Interior finalized plans to lock up the majority of the National Petroleum Reserve-Alaska (NPR-A) from energy production.  “As gasoline prices continue to increase for the 34th day in a row, the Obama Administration has responded by locking up a majority…

Chairman Hastings Calls for President Obama to Appoint Permanent Inspector General for the Department of the Interior

| Posted in Press Release

House Natural Resources Committee Chairman Doc Hastings (WA-04) today wrote to President Obama requesting that he nominate a permanent Inspector General for the Department of the Interior. Since the Department’s previous Inspector General Earl Devaney was appointed to a new position nearly four years ago, the Department’s Office of Inspector General (IG) has been run by Deputy Inspector…

From the Headlines: Gasoline Prices Rise for 32 Days Straight, Hit American Families at Worst Possible Time

| Posted in In Case You Missed It

Yesterday marked 32 days in a row of increased gasoline prices, a 13 percent jump, according to the Automobile Association of America (AAA), which estimates the national average for a gallon of regular gasoline is $3.74. When President Obama took office in January 2009, the average price for gallon of gasoline was $1.84. Since taking office, President Obama has prevented new American…