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Hastings on Helium Hypocrisy: Senate Should Act Today to Open our National Parks

| Posted in Floor Statements

House Natural Resources Committee Chairman Doc Hastings (WA-04) delivered the following statement (as prepared for delivery) on the House floor calling on the Senate to act on common sense legislation to keep our National Parks open. “Mr. Speaker, yesterday the House passed and sent to the Senate a bipartisan bill to keep our National Parks open. Twenty-three Democrats joined with…

Obama Administration Closed Parks to WWII Veterans, but kept Open for Illegal Occupy Movement Camp

| Posted in Hot Air Alert

In an attempt to make the government shutdown as painful as possible, the Obama Administration yesterday chose to erect metal barricades around the World War II Memorial (an open air memorial that is open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week) and stationed armed National Park Police to block World War II veterans from entering their memorial. It’s ironic that while our Nation’s heroes are met…

Hastings, Bishop Challenge Obama Administration Over Unnecessary and Arbitrary Closures of Open-air Parks and Monuments

| Posted in Press Release

House Natural Resources Committee Chairman Doc Hastings (WA-04) and Subcommittee on Public Lands and Environmental Regulation Chairman Rob Bishop (UT-01) today sent a letter to National Park Service Director Jonathan Jarvis regarding the Obama Administration’s actions to restrict public access to the World War II Memorial and other open-air monuments, memorials and parks in Washington,…

Obama Administration Arbitrarily Choosing Which D.C. Monuments and Parks to Close Off to Veterans and Tourists

| Posted in Hot Air Alert

Yesterday, the Obama Administration began selectively erecting barricades to keep visitors, including large groups of World War II veterans, from visiting popular monuments such as the World War II Memorial, Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial, and the National Mall. However, the Obama Administration is applying this policy inconsistently and choosing which memorials to block off and which to…

Chairmen Hastings and Bishop Letter to Director Jarvis Regarding the Decision to Unnecessarily and Arbitrarily Close Open-air Parks and Monuments

| Posted in Letters

Dear Director Jarvis: Through this letter, the Committee on Natural Resources ("Committee") requests that the National Park Service ("Park Service") take steps as necessary to keep and not destroy documents related to the decision this week to restrict public access to the National World War II Memorial, the Lincoln Memorial, the Korean Veterans Memorial, the Vietnam Veterans Memorial,…

Chairman Hastings Calls on President Obama to Immediately Sign Helium Legislation, Prevent Shutdown of Federal Reserve

| Posted in Press Release

House Natural Resources Committee Chairman Doc Hastings (WA-04) today sent a letter to President Obama calling on him to immediately sign into law H.R. 527, the Helium Stewardship Act. The House and Senate unanimously approved this legislation last week to reform the Federal helium program and prevent an impending helium shortage. Full text of letter: Dear Mr. President, I urge you…

Chairman Hastings’ Statement on Resolution to Fund National Parks

| Posted in Press Release

House Natural Resources Committee Chairman Doc Hastings delivered the following statement (as prepared) on the House floor today in support of H.J.Res. __, Open Our National Parks and Museums Act: “Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of this legislation to fund National Parks. No one wanted a government shut down and one of the unfortunate consequences is that millions of…

Chairman Hastings Letter to President Obama Requesting Enactment of H.R. 527, the "Helium Stewardship Act"

| Posted in Letters

Dear Mr. President: I urge you to immediately sign H.R. 527, the Helium Stewardship Act, and avoid a shutdown of the Federal Helium Reserve, which would cause an immediate world-wide helium shortage. This looming economic disaster has been the subject of ongoing Congressional attention for nearly two years. Over the last few weeks, the House and Senate worked tirelessly to negotiate…

Hastings’ Statement on Senate Passage of Helium Legislation

| Posted in Press Release

House Natural Resources Committee Chairman Doc Hastings (WA-04) issued the following statement regarding Senate passage of H.R. 527, the Helium Stewardship Act: “This final bill reflects true bipartisan and bicameral work for the greater good of our Nation and economy. I thank my colleagues in the House and Senate for their work and dedication to passing a bill that will not only…

Chairman Hastings: Increasing Domestic Production of Copper is Vital to Jobs, Economy & National Security

| Posted in Floor Statements

House Natural Resources Committee Chairman Doc Hastings delivered the following statement on the House floor today in support of H.R. 687, the Southeast Arizona Land Exchange and Conservation Act: “Mr. Chairman, I rise today in strong support of H.R. 687, the Southeast Arizona Land Exchange and Conservation Act. As our Nation continues to suffer from high unemployment, a…