Today, the House Natural Resources Committee held a field hearing in Houma, LA entitled “Gulf of Mexico: A Focus on Community Recovery and New Response Technology. At the hearing, Members heard first hand from local citizens and businesses about the status of recovery efforts, the impacts of the Administration’s de facto moratorium and the deployment of new technology to improve the… Read more »

The House Natural Resources Committee today passed three energy bills with bipartisan support that are a part of House Republicans' American Energy Initiative. These bills (H.R. 1229, H.R. 1230 and H.R. 1231) will expand American energy production, create jobs and lower gasoline prices by reversing Obama Administration policies that have placed our American energy resources… Read more »

The House Natural Resources Committee this morning passed H.R. 1229, the Putting the Gulf Back to Work Act, by a bipartisan vote of 27 to 16. This bill ends the Administration’s de facto moratorium in the Gulf of Mexico in a responsible, transparent manner by reforming current law to improve safety and setting firm time-lines for considering permits to drill. “With the passage of this… Read more »

House Natural Resources Committee Chairman Doc Hastings (WA-04) today released the following statement after some energy experts predicted gasoline prices could reach $5 per gallon by Memorial Day weekend. “Gas prices are closing in on record levels, threatening our economy as the peak driving season approaches. From parents driving kids to school, to farmers working crops in Spring, to… Read more »

Despite gasoline prices steadily climbing towards $4 per gallon, threatening the livelihood of families and small businesses across the country, President Obama is refusing to take responsibility for any of his actions that have blocked American energy development. Furthermore, he is telling American people there is little than can be done about higher prices at the pump. Today, during… Read more »

House Natural Resources Committee Chairman Doc Hastings (WA-04) delivered the following opening statement at today’s Energy and Minerals Subcommittee legislative hearing on H.R. 1229 the Putting the Gulf Back to Work Act, H.R. 1230 the Restarting American Offshore Leasing Now Act, and H.R. 1231 the Reversing President Obama’s Offshore Moratorium Act: “Thank you Subcommittee Chairman… Read more »

Getting the Gulf Coast back to work April 2, 2011 The Times-Picayune Op-Ed By Rep. Doc Hastings As gasoline prices continue to surge towards $4 a gallon and unemployment lingers near 9 percent, Americans are seeing the consequences of the Obama administration's policies that have prevented access to our own American energy sources. Despite President Obama's talk of increasing… Read more »

ABC News reported today that gasoline prices have increased for seven straight weeks and that the national average price has reached the highest amount ever recorded in the month of March. Responding to this news, House Natural Resources Committee Chairman Doc Hastings (WA-04) continued to call for increased American energy production to create jobs and lower prices. “Americans are… Read more »

Today, the House Natural Resources Committee held a hearing on the impact of rising gasoline prices on American businesses and families. Republicans on the Committee stressed the need to develop our American resources to reduce U.S. dependence on foreign oil and create jobs. Witnesses at the hearing discussed job loss, increased operation costs, and diminishing fiscal health due to the… Read more »

House Natural Resources Committee Chairman Doc Hastings (WA-04) issued the following statement regarding President Obama’s energy address: “The President today announced a goal to cut U.S. oil imports by one-third. I share that goal and believe it’s crucial to our national security. In fact, just yesterday I introduced legislation that would achieve a one-third decline in oil imports by… Read more »