House Natural Resources Committee Ranking Member Doc Hastings (WA-04) released the following statement on the Department of the Interior (DOI) Inspector General report regarding changes made to DOI’s 30-Day Safety Report that recommended a drilling moratorium.  This report comes after Hastings and other Natural Resources Committee Republicans called for an Inspector General investigation.

"This report begs more questions.  Who at the White House actually rewrote the Interior Department document?  Is that person a scientist with relevant experience or a political appointee?  Furthermore, what other Interior Department decisions are being changed or made by unknown White House staff?  This moratorium has cost thousands of jobs and caused severe economic impacts throughout the Gulf.  We need to get answers as to who and how these policy decisions are being made and ensure that they are actually based on sound science."

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