Today, Josh Gerstein of Politico has a piece entitled “Obama: Time to get to work on jobs.” He states: “President Barack Obama on Monday pushed his economic advisers to come up with job-generating ideas that can be hustled up to Capitol Hill.” Well, it’s about time. Since January, Republicans have hustled job creation suggestions to the White House – but unfortunately, not many of us… Read more »

Today, House Natural Resources Committee Ranking Member Doc Hastings (WA-04) sent the following letter to Committee Chairman Nick Rahall objecting to the Democrat Majority attaching reauthorization of the Indian Health Care Improvement Act to Speaker Pelosi’s 1,990-page government takeover of health care. Text of the letter: Dear Chairman Rahall: I’ve read your press release on the fact… Read more »

Yesterday, Bill Klesse, President & CEO of Valero Energy Corp., testified before the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee on the Democrats’ job-killing National Energy Tax legislation. He stated that the bill could add 77 cents to each gallon of gasoline. That’s about 30% above today’s prices! This increase will affect every American household across the country. When our… Read more »

Yesterday, Wall Street Journal blogger Keith Johnson wrote an interesting post about a NBC/Wall Street Journal poll that was released. The poll highlights America’s declining support for cap-and-trade legislation. Only 48% of the public would approve of a proposal that “would require companies to reduce greenhouse gas that cause global warming, even if it would mean higher utility bills… Read more »

During today’s House Natural Resources Full Committee markup, Democrats voted to authorize an additional $22.5 million for neotropical birds and against a fiscally responsible Republican amendment to eliminate the funding increase. The Neotropical Migratory Bird Conservation Act (H.R. 2213) is designed to conserve and protect neotropical birds that migrate between their breeding grounds… Read more »

The Neotropical Migratory Bird Conservation Act (H.R. 2213) October 28, 2009 Full Committee Markup Reporting H.R. 2213 out of Committee (View Roll Call Vote) The Neotropical Migratory Bird Conservation Act is designed to conserve and protect neotropical birds that migrate between their breeding grounds in North America and their tropical habitats in the Caribbean and Latin America.… Read more »

The Devil’s Staircase Wilderness Act of 2009 (H.R. 2888) October 28, 2009 Full Committee Markup Reporting H.R. 2888 out of Committee (View Roll Call Vote) The Devil's Staircase Wilderness Act of 2009 would designate over 29,000 acres of federal land in Oregon as wilderness. Wilderness is the most restrictive land use designation, eliminating the use of mechanized recreation and… Read more »

Molalla River amendment to the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act (H.R. 2781) October 28, 2009 Markup Reporting H.R. 2781 out of Committee (View Roll Call Vote) This bill would designate segments of the Mollala River in Oregon as components of the Wild and Scenic River Systems. Democrats refused to allow an amendment by Rep. Rob Bishop that would restore rural community funding by… Read more »

Concerns over Central Valley woes dominate data collection hearing October 28, 2009 E&E Daily Taryn Luntz Lawmakers who gathered yesterday to examine federal water data programs ended up immersed in a bickering session over water management in California's drought-ridden Central Valley. At the outset of the Water and Power Subcommittee hearing, ranking member Tom McClintock… Read more »

“‘With a $1.4 trillion deficit and almost 10 percent unemployment, President Obama should be open to new ideas about ways to reduce federal spending and create new jobs,’ Hastings said. ‘But unfortunately, the President has slammed the door shut on a wide range of energy ideas - including using new offshore drilling revenue to fund renewable energy projects and create jobs across our… Read more »