Today, House Natural Resources Committee Ranking Member Doc Hastings (WA-04), Energy and Minerals Subcommittee Ranking Member Doug Lamborn (CO-05) and six other Members of the Committee sent a letter to Energy and Minerals Subcommittee Chairman Jim Costa requesting that the oversight hearing on the President's Fiscal Year 2011 budget be immediately rescheduled. The President’s budget includes proposals that will raise energy prices, stall our economy, block job creation and put millions of existing energy jobs at risk.

The Democrat majority suddenly and unexpectedly canceled this hearing the night before it was scheduled to take place on March 4, 2010. The leaders of federal agencies that oversee offshore and onshore energy and mineral production on federal lands, including the Minerals Management Service, the Bureau of Land Management, the Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement, the United States Geological Survey, and the Forest Service, were scheduled to testify. There has been no indication yet as to when or if this hearing will be rescheduled.

Text of letter:

Dear Chairman Costa,

We write to ask for a timely rescheduling of the Energy and Mineral Resources FY2011 Budget hearing that was scheduled for March 4, 2010 and canceled. Oversight of the federal budget is one of the primary responsibilities of our Committee and one of our critical congressional duties. Now more than a week after the cancelation, there is no indication yet as to when or if this hearing will be rescheduled.

The Administration’s budget establishes a national energy policy that will greatly affect energy costs for American families and businesses and American energy production. The American people expect Congress to conduct thorough oversight of the federal budget. Since it has been more than two years since our last budget hearing this hearing is crucially important for our ability to oversee the federal budget process.

The American people expect Congress to conduct thorough oversight. Since it has been more than two years since the last budget hearing examining these federal energy production agencies, we ask that the canceled hearing be promptly rescheduled.

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