Click to enlarge Background: On August 6, 2009, ten Senate Democrats sent a letter to President Obama regarding their concerns about the job-killing National Energy Tax bill. They said: “We must not engage in a self-defeating effort that displaces greenhouse gas emissions rather than reducing them and displaces U.S. jobs rather than bolstering them.” As the… Read more »

House Natural Resources Ranking Member Doc Hastings (WA-04) released the following statement today in response to Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack’s speech on the Obama Administration’s vision for the U.S. Forest Service: “In announcing a ‘new direction and vision,’ the Administration must not lose sight of the vital role our forests play in our nation’s economy and the thousands of… Read more »

On Sunday, Interior Secretary Ken Salazar and Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack will travel to Zanesville, Ohio as part of the Administration’s rural America listening tour. Co-Chairs of the Rural America Solutions Group Frank Lucas (R-OK), Sam Graves (R-MO), and Doc Hastings (R-WA), released the following statement regarding Sunday’s event: “Unemployment in Ohio is higher than the… Read more »

Tomorrow, Energy Secretary Steven Chu, Housing and Urban Development Secretary Shaun Donovan, Education Secretary Arne Duncan, Interior Secretary Ken Salazar and Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack will travel to Bethel, AK as part of the White House’s rural America listening tour. Co-Chairs of the Rural America Solutions Group Frank Lucas (R-OK), Sam Graves (R-MO), and Doc Hastings (R-WA),… Read more »

Today, House Natural Resources Committee Ranking Member Doc Hastings (WA-04) released the following statement regarding the Department of Labor’s report that the U.S. economy lost 247,000 jobs in July and the Congressional Budget Office’s report that the federal deficit topped $1.3 trillion in July for the first time in the history of our country. “14.5 million unemployed Americans need… Read more »

On February 10, 2009, the Department of the Interior announced a six-month delay for the 2010-2015 offshore drilling plan on America’s Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) and extended the public comment period through September 21, 2009. Today, 98 House Republicans sent a letter (click here to view) to Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar to officially encourage the Department to end the delay… Read more »

Today, House Natural Resources Committee Ranking Member Doc Hastings (WA-04) issued the following statement regarding the House and Senate Western Caucuses’ joint hearing on the Democrats’ National Energy Tax plan: “While most of today’s news is focused on the status of the Democrats’ government-run healthcare plan, Americans should know that the threat of a National Energy Tax is as… Read more »

Today, the House Natural Resources Committee held a markup of the Migratory Bird Treaty Act Penalty and Enforcement Act of 2009 (H.R. 1916), which increases the cost of the federal duck stamp (used as a hunting permit) from $15 to $25 in 2010 and mandates the federal government use all proceeds to acquire more private land. “When the American people are suffering real economic pain with… Read more »

The following roll call votes were taken during today’s House Natural Resources Committee markup of the Puerto Rico Democracy Act of 2009 (H.R. 2499). The bill would allow a federally sanctioned plebiscite (also known as a referendum) to be conducted in Puerto Rico. All eligible voters would be asked whether they support the present form of commonwealth government or if they want Puerto… Read more »

Today, House Natural Resources Committee Ranking Member Doc Hastings (WA-04) and National Parks, Forests and Public Lands Subcommittee Ranking Member Rob Bishop (UT-01) delivered the following opening statements regarding yesterday’s announcement by the Obama Administration to block new uranium mining for two years on a million acres of land in Arizona and legislation by Rep. Grijalva to… Read more »