Dear Mr. Secretary: Last week, at an event sponsored by Christian Science Monitor, you announced that the Department of the Interior plans to issue rules regarding hydraulic fracturing on federal lands, within a "month or so." In your comments, you also reiterated your belief in transparency and full disclosure regarding hydraulic fracturing. In the spirit of transparency and full… Read more »

Today, House Natural Resources Committee Chairman Doc Hastings (WA-04) sent the following letter to Department of Interior Secretary Ken Salazar asking him once again to testify before the Committee regarding the Department’s plans to issue rules on hydraulic fracturing on federal lands within the next “month or so.” Chairman Hastings first wrote Secretary Salazar a letter on December 1,… Read more »

House Natural Resources Committee Chairman Doc Hastings (WA-04) released the following statement after the Department of Labor released the September jobs report: “After a horrendous August, where the economy saw a net total of zero jobs created, September’s numbers weren’t much better. The unemployment rate is continuing to hold steady above 9 percent while President Obama campaigns on… Read more »

The Full Natural Resources Committee today passed three bills—H.R. 2842, H.R. 2360 and H.R. 2752—to create jobs, produce more American made energy and advance House Republicans' all-of-the-above American Energy Initiative. “Republicans are committed to increasing the use of America’s abundant energy resources to create jobs and grow the economy. These three commonsense measures protect… Read more »

On Wednesday, October 12th the House Committee on Natural Resources will hold a Full Committee oversight hearing on “One Year after President Obama’s Gulf of Mexico 6-Month Moratorium Officially Lifted: Examining the Lingering Impacts on Jobs, Energy Production and Local Economies.” “Nearly a year ago, the Obama Administration lifted its official offshore moratorium in the Gulf of Mexico… Read more »

Today, the Natural Resources Committee held an oversight hearing on “The President’s New National Ocean Policy - A Plan for Further Restrictions on Ocean, Coastal and Inland Activities.” At the hearing, Members heard about the potential job and economic implications of President Obama’s Executive Order 13547, which creates a new, top-down bureaucracy that could significantly impact the… Read more »

House Natural Resource Committee Chairman Doc Hastings announced today that Thursday’s Full Committee oversight hearing on the final report of the BOEMRE/U.S. Coast Guard Joint Investigation Team (JIT) has been rescheduled and confirmed for Thursday, October 13th: “After the Interior Department and the Coast Guard withdrew JIT investigator witnesses previously committed to testify before… Read more »

House Natural Resources Committee Republicans are committed to putting Americans back to work by enacting policies that embrace America’s abundant natural resources to help create jobs and grow our economy. Watch Rep. Paul Gosar (AZ-01) discuss his bill, H.R. 1904, the Southeast Arizona Land Exchange and Conservation Act, which opens up the world’s third largest undeveloped copper… Read more »

On July 19, 2010 President Obama signed Executive Order 13547 to unilaterally implement a new National Ocean Policy without Congressional approval or specific statutory authority. This policy is a new regulatory layer that could significantly impact the way we use and manage our oceans and is another example of the Obama Administration imposing burdensome federal regulations and policies… Read more »

Chairman Hastings often speaks of direct and indirect job creation associated with increased American energy production. On Thursday, September 29, a prime example of this type of job creation came from Exxon Mobil with welcomed applause from hardworking Pennsylvania shipbuilders. Exxon announced the construction of two new “Liberty Class” tankers that will be used to transport Alaska… Read more »