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Oversight and Investigations

Chairman Hastings: In Addition to Saving Taxpayers Billions, CR will Keep Public Lands Open and Strengthen Offshore Drilling Safety

| Posted in Press Release

House Natural Resources Committee Chairman Doc Hastings (WA-04) released the following statement today regarding passage of H.R. 1473, the Continuing Resolution that funds the federal government through FY2011 and cuts spending by nearly $40 billion: “This bill is the first step in getting our Nation’s fiscal house in order and sends a strong signal to the American people that Congress…

Republicans Introduce Bill to Secure Border on Federal Lands, Protect Environment

| Posted in Press Release

Today, House National Parks, Forests and Public Lands Subcommittee Chairman Rob Bishop (R-UT), House Natural Resources Committee Chairman Doc Hastings (R-WA), Homeland Security Committee Chairman Peter T. King (R-NY), Judiciary Committee Chairman Lamar Smith (R-TX), and House Republican Conference Secretary John Carter (R-TX) introduced H.R. 1505, the National Security and Federal Lands…

Four Chairmen Send Letter to Secretary Vilsack Regarding Private Mineral Estates on Forest Service Lands

| Posted in Letters

Dear Secretary Vilsack: In the Fall 2010 Unified Agenda of Regulatory and Deregulatory Actions, the U.S. Forest Service indicated its intention to promulgate new regulations on the "Management of National Forest System Surface Resources with Privately Held Mineral Estates." We are concerned that this rulemaking will dramatically increase the regulatory burden on oil and natural gas…

Natural Resources Committee Republicans Call for Expanded American Energy Production to Create Jobs, Curb Rising Gasoline Prices

| Posted in Press Release

Today, the House Natural Resources Committee held an oversight hearing on how to harness American resources to create jobs and address rising gasoline prices. The Committee heard from several energy experts who discussed America’s vast energy reserves on federal lands. According to a recently released Congressional Research Service (CRS) report, the United States combined recoverable…

Fact Checking the Obama Administration’s Energy Production Claims

| Posted in Resourceful Information

As prices at the pump climb towards the $4 mark, the Obama Administration has turned its SPIN machine to HIGH in an effort to deflect mounting public anger over the high cost of gasoline. The Administration is spinning numbers on U.S. oil and natural gas production to make the public believe their anti-energy policies have actually spurred energy development. In reality, the…

Obama Administration Turns Spin Cycle up to High with Latest “Fact Sheet” on U.S. Energy Production

| Posted in Resourceful Information

The White House won’t let facts stand in the way when it comes to American energy production as they continue to piggyback on predecessors’ pro-energy policies. Yesterday, the White House turned their SPIN machine to HIGH in their second attempt in as many days (see White House blog) to deflect mounting public anger over high gasoline prices. Today, the Administration is spinning numbers…

Chairman Hastings and Five Members Letter to Secretary Salazar on Spotted Owl Draft Revised Recovery Plan

| Posted in Letters

Secretary Salazar: As you may know, last November a number of Northwest Members of Congress wrote you to express strong concerns about the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's (FWS) Northern Spotted Owl Draft Revised Recovery Plan (Draft Plan) and to request that the public be given additional time and infonnation to comment on the Draft Plan. Many of those concerns remain unaddressed by the…

National Journal: Hastings to Lead the Way on Gas-Price Debate

| Posted in Blog

Hastings to Lead the Way on Gas-Price Debate by Amy Harder National Journal Sunday, March 6, 2011 Brendan Hoffman/Getty Images Hastings: Likely to push for more drilling. The higher oil prices get, the more prominent Rep. Doc Hastings becomes. The Republican chairs the House Natural Resources Committee and represents a conservative district in eastern Washington state. From that…

Tax Dollar Tracker: Despite Claims of Fiscal Responsibility, Budget Dramatically Increases Spending for Government Land Acquisition

| Posted in Tax Dollar Tracker

Today, at a House Natural Resources Committee Hearing on the Department of the Interior’s Fiscal Year 2012 Budget proposal, Interior Secretary Salazar said: “The 2012 budget reflects many difficult budget choices, cutting worthy programs and advancing efforts to shrink Federal spending...by eliminating and reducing lower priority programs...” There might be something wrong with the…

Governors Discuss Job Losses Associated with Interior’s Backdoor Wild Lands Order

| Posted in Blog

Yesterday, during a Natural Resources Committee hearing on the Administration’s “Wild Lands” order, Chairman Doc Hastings asked Idaho Governor Butch Otter and Utah Governor Gary Herbert if families have better job opportunities in areas subject to Wilderness restrictions. Not surprising, the answer is no. See what the Governors had to say about the impacts of this “Wild Lands” order on…