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Hastings Letter to Chief Tidwell Requesting Answers Regarding Decision to Close National Forests During the Government Shutdown

| Posted in Letters

Dear Chief Tidwell: The Committee on Natural Resources ("Committee") requests that the U.S. Forest Service take steps as necessary to keep and not destroy documents related to the recent decisions to order certain activities located on National Forest System lands to cease operations, including grazing, concessionaires, and other privately-funded businesses, while allowing others to…

Obama Administration’s Sudden Reversal to Possibly Allow States to Provide Funding to Open National Parks Raises More Questions

| Posted in Press Release

Today, the Obama Administration announced they are reversing their stance and will consider allowing states to fund the opening of National Parks. Up until now, the Obama Administration has actively denied this request from states. For example, last week the State of Arizona wrote a letter to the Obama Administration asking to use state money to keep the Grand Canyon open. This request…

Witnesses, Members Agree Rep. Tipton’s Legislation Needed to Prevent Federal Water Grab

| Posted in Press Release

Today, the House Natural Resources Subcommittee on Water and Power held a legislative hearing on H.R. 3189, the Water Rights Protection Act, sponsored by Congressman Scott Tipton (CO-03), which protects privately held water rights, prohibits federal water grabs and upholds state water laws. This bipartisan legislation will end further attempts by the Obama Administration to take privately…

Witnesses: Federal Government Must Stop Its Regulatory Assault on Mining in America

| Posted in Press Release

Today, the House Natural Resources Subcommittee on Energy and Mineral Resources held an oversight hearing entitled “EPA vs. American Mining Jobs: The Obama Administration’s Regulatory Assault on the Economy.” This hearing examined the onerous federal regulations and abusive actions by the Obama Administration, particularly by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), that have cost…

UPDATED: House Committees to Hold Joint Hearing on the Obama Administration’s Unnecessary National Park & Monument Closures

| Posted in Committee Action

The House Natural Resources Committee and the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee will hold a joint oversight hearing on Wednesday, October 16th entitled “As Difficult As Possible: The National Park Service’s Implementation of the Government Shutdown.” Among the issues to be examined at the hearing include the Obama Administration’s arbitrary and unnecessary actions to erect…

BAD LANDLORD: National Park Service Forcing Privately Operated Sites to Close

| Posted in Press Release

This week the Obama Administration began erecting metal barricades to keep families, veterans, school groups and visitors out of popular open-air monuments in Washington D.C. such as the Lincoln Memorial, which did not happen during the last government shutdown, and the World War II Memorial. The U.S. Park Service has also closed small businesses and non-profit operations that happen to…

FLASHBACK: DC Memorials Open During Last Shutdown under Clinton

| Posted in Press Release

This week the Obama Administration began erecting steel barricades to keep veterans, families and visitors out of popular open-air monuments such as the Lincoln Memorial and World War II Memorial. Despite the fact that these are open-air sites that are open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year and are only staffed by Park Rangers during certain hours of the day, the Obama…

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…