Today, the Subcommittee on Energy and Mineral Resources held an oversight hearing on “America’s Onshore Energy Resources: Creating Jobs, Securing America, and Lowering Prices.” The hearing was an opportunity to hear from witnesses who own and operate businesses that have benefited from increased production of American oil and natural gas on state and private lands and examine why those… Read more »

House Natural Resources Committee Chairman Doc Hastings (WA-04) today sent a letter to Department of the Interior Secretary Ken Salazar seeking further information on the operations and activities of the Department’s Ethics Office. For the past year, the Committee has conducted oversight of how political appointees and senior career officials within the Department are complying with… Read more »

House Natural Resources Committee Chairman Doc Hastings (WA-04) released the following statement on the Republican budget released today by Budget Committee Chairman Paul Ryan: “House Republicans’ plan would balance the budget in 10 years, without raising taxes, by making smart reforms to support job creation and economic growth. The Republican budget also recognizes that expanded… Read more »

House Natural Resources Committee Chairman Doc Hastings (WA-04) today sent a letter to Department of the Interior Secretary Ken Salazar and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Director Dan Ashe raising concerns of scientific integrity and the imposition of arbitrary deadlines surrounding the decision to potentially list the sage-grouse under the Endangered Species Act (ESA).  The letter requests… Read more »

Today, the House Natural Resources Subcommittee on Water and Power held a legislative hearing on H.R. 678, the “Bureau of Reclamation Small Conduit Hydropower Development and Rural Jobs Act,” and H.R. 254, the "Bonneville Unit Clean Hydropower Facilitation Act.” Both bills are bipartisan plans to create new American jobs and expand production of clean, renewable hydropower by cutting… Read more »

The Energy and Mineral Resources Subcommittee held an oversight hearing today on “America’s Offshore Energy Resources: Creating Jobs, Securing America, and Lowering Prices.” The hearing focused on the significant economic growth that increased production of offshore oil, natural gas and wind energy. “In light of record debt and deficits, and the current sequestration cuts going into… Read more »

House Natural Resources Committee Chairman Doc Hastings (WA-04) today followed up on his previous request to Department of Energy Secretary Steven Chu for detailed documents and communications related to the issuance of Chu’s March 16, 2012, Memorandum (Memorandum) to the Power Marketing Administrations (PMAs). Last Congress, the Natural Resources Committee held multiple hearings on the… Read more »

House Natural Resources Committee Chairman Doc Hastings (WA-04) today released the following statement after receiving a partial response from U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Director Dan Ashe to his February 7th request for an extended public comment period for Lesser Prairie Chicken designation under the Endangered Species Act and to approve state and local plans to protect the Lesser… Read more »

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… Read more »

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… Read more »