Doc Hastings

Mr. HASTINGS of Washington

Mr. HASTINGS of Washington. Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that when the House adjourns today, it adjourn to meet on Monday next, when it shall convene at noon for morning-hour debate and 2 p.m. for legislative business.

Mr. HASTINGS of Washington

Mr. HASTINGS of Washington. I yield the gentleman an additional 45 seconds.

Mr. HASTINGS of Washington

Mr. HASTINGS of Washington. I thank the gentleman for yielding. I understand why my good friend from Nevada is offering this; he's representing what he thinks is right for his constituents, and I commend him for that. But the fact of the matter is this is the law of the country, this is the repository, period; yet the Department of Energy, in my view, has been operating outside the law for the last year. Ratepayers have already spent $10 billion on this. If we terminate this site, we will have other liabilities--in fact, there are already contractual liabilities of $2 billion that have been let already--plus the expense, if we have to find another repository, will cost taxpayers further billions of dollars. So I understand why the gentleman is doing this, I think he is incorrect, and I urge that Members vote against his amendment.

Mr. HASTINGS of Washington

Mr. HASTINGS of Washington. I do not.

Mr. HASTINGS of Washington. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to yield 3 minutes to the chairman of the Indian and Alaska Native Affairs Subcommittee, the gentleman from Alaska (Mr. Young). (Mr. YOUNG of Alaska asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Mr. HASTINGS of Washington. I yield the gentleman 15 seconds.

Mr. HASTINGS of Washington. Mr. Speaker, after hearing the last gentleman, I yearn for these open rules we're going to have.

Mr. HASTINGS of Washington. I yield the gentleman an additional 15 seconds.

Mr. HASTINGS of Washington. I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, gasoline prices are rising, and we have near double- digit unemployment. The Obama administration should be doing everything within its power to spur economic growth and to create new jobs. Unfortunately, they have not. This administration has chosen to impose regulation after regulation and policy after policy on American businesses that impede their potential growth and thus impede our economic recovery. Many of these regulations delay or flat out prevent Americans from responsibly developing our own natural resources. They block access to American energy; they block access to American minerals; they block access to American water supplies; and they block access to American forest products. By their actions, this administration is jeopardizing our economic competitiveness. This jeopardy is making America more reliant on foreign countries to meet our everyday needs. Mr. Speaker, I don't believe Americans are content with locking up our valuable resources. I don't believe Americans are content with sending American jobs overseas, but that's exactly what these regulations and policies are doing. President Obama says that he wants to eliminate regulations that are strangling businesses. That's noble, but this appears to be one more example of his rhetoric not matching his actions. The rules and regulations imposed by the Obama administration have allowed the Federal Government to insert itself in places that it's never been and, frankly, doesn't belong. Let me give you several examples. First, burdensome regulations are being used to restrict access to American energy production on public lands, both onshore and offshore. Last year, new rules were imposed for onshore lease sales that have significantly decreased energy production throughout the intermountain West. Offshore, the administration continues to impose a de facto moratorium on drilling in the gulf and has yet to issue a single deep- well permit since last April. President Obama's de facto moratorium has put thousands of Americans out of work. These regulations are not only impeding oil and natural gas production but also renewable energy such as wind and solar. Why? Because these regulations will restrict renewable energy development to only a tiny, tiny fraction of our public lands. Second, the Obama administration is aggressively pursuing sweeping new changes to mining regulations. These regulations--Mr. Speaker, let me repeat this--these regulations, by their own admission, will cost thousands of American jobs and decrease American energy production in 22 States. Third, the Obama administration has reversed a long-standing legal agreement and moved to establish a new ``wild lands'' policy that will further restrict public access to multipurpose public lands. This backdoor approach will prohibit many popular forms of recreation and severely restrict job-creating, energy-producing activities. By creating de facto wilderness, the administration is circumventing Congress' sole authority to establish wilderness areas. Fourth, the President has signed an Executive order establishing a new National Ocean Policy and Council that could severely restrict recreational and commercial use of our oceans. This policy establishes mandatory marine spatial planning, otherwise known as ocean zoning. The reach of this policy may stretch far inland, extending to potentially all rivers, tributaries, and lands that drain into the ocean. Fifth, the Environmental Protection Agency has allowed questionable science to be used to impose regulations that could end the use of vital farm crop and tree protection products. This will cost jobs and adversely impact trade of our agricultural products. And last, Mr. Speaker, but certainly not least, the Obama administration has supported withholding valuable water from communities in California's San Joaquin Valley, prioritizing the needs of a 3-inch fish over thousands of workers and their families. This Government and manmade drought caused hundreds of thousands of acres of fertile farm land to dry up, and that has resulted, Mr. Speaker, in an unemployment rate that exceeds 40 percent in that area. So this is just one example of how the implementation of the Endangered Species Act, which I might add hasn't been reviewed for almost 20 years, is being used to block or delay job-creating projects. Mr. Speaker, the goal of the ESA was to conserve key domestic species, but today, unfortunately, it's being used by special interest groups to file lawsuits and drain resources away from the real recovery efforts of those species. The National Environmental Policy Act, or NEPA, and other environmental regulations are going far beyond their original intent, and they, too, are being used to place unnecessary and costly burdens on economic development projects throughout the country. NEPA has become a tool for litigation, sometimes resulting in decades worth of delays before a project can move forward. The list of burdensome regulations and policies go on and on, and what I have described just scratches the surface. American businesses are struggling to keep their doors open. Rural communities who depend on these resources are feeling their livelihoods threatened. And American families, many of whom are already finding it difficult to make ends meet, are paying more for everything from gasoline to fruits and vegetables. A clean, healthy environment is a priority for all Americans. But an equal priority is a Federal Government that sets sensible rules that provide clarity, certainty, and allow job-creating initiatives to move forward in a timely, efficient manner. The Obama administration needs to exercise common sense. Spending more money and imposing new rules will not lead to economic recovery. Businesses and communities need relief from these top-down policies that are costing American jobs. The Natural Resources Committee and all of its subcommittees will be conducting thorough oversight of the Obama administration policies, taking a close look at how and why decisions are made. So, Mr. Speaker, I fully support this resolution, and Republicans on the Natural Resources Committee are committed to promoting policies that will reduce spending, strengthen the economy, and create American jobs. I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. HASTINGS of Washington. I yield the gentleman an additional 15 seconds.

Mr. HASTINGS of Washington. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to yield 4 minutes to the gentleman from Colorado (Mr. Lamborn), the subcommittee chairman of the Energy and Minerals Subcommittee.

Mr. HASTINGS of Washington. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Utah (Mr. Bishop), the chairman of the National Parks, Forests and Public Lands Subcommittee.

Mr. HASTINGS of Washington

Mr. HASTINGS of Washington. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Louisiana (Mr. Fleming), the subcommittee chairman of the Fisheries, Wildlife, Oceans and Insular Affairs Subcommittee.

Mr. HASTINGS of Washington. Mr. Speaker, how much time do I have remaining?

Mr. HASTINGS of Washington. I yield the gentleman an additional 15 seconds.

Mr. HASTINGS of Washington. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time, and I appreciate my friend from Massachusetts' willingness to work with us on this very important issue. But I want to make it very, very clear because there are some on the other side that were suggesting that we want to do something that we're not even debating here, and that is to wipe every regulation off the book. No, what we are trying to do here is to look at the regulations and see where perhaps they are not being carried out as Congress intended them. And I think specifically what we want to do, since this President took office, even though we should have done that with past Presidencies on both sides of the aisle, but since this President took office, the scope and reach of the executive branch has greatly expanded as has been documented by just about every speaker and even acknowledged by speakers on the other side. And the question, Mr. Speaker, is: Why? And what is the cost to our economy and American jobs? Congress has an obligation to look into this and to hold the administration accountable--and any administration, for that matter, in the future. So, Mr. Speaker, what we are doing here tonight and what this resolution on the floor that we are debating by virtually all committees in the House is simply starting that process. And I look forward to working with my friends across the aisle because we appear to have common ground. With that, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. HASTINGS of Washington. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to yield 3 minutes to the subcommittee chairman of the Water and Power Subcommittee, Mr. McClintock, from California.

Mr. HASTINGS of Washington. Mr. Speaker, could I inquire how much time remains on each side?

Mr. HASTINGS of Washington. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to yield 1\1/2\ minutes to the valuable new member of our committee, Mr. Gosar from Arizona.

Mr. HASTINGS of Washington. Mr. Speaker, I am very pleased to yield 2 minutes to another new valuable member of the Resources Committee, Mr. Johnson of Ohio.

Mr. HASTINGS of Washington. Mr. Speaker, I am very, very pleased to yield 2 minutes to another new member of the Natural Resources Committee, the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Flores).

Mr. HASTINGS of Washington. I yield the gentleman 15 seconds.

Mr. HASTINGS of Washington

Mr. HASTINGS of Washington. Mr. Speaker, pursuant to clause 2(a)(2) of House of Representatives Rule XI, I hereby submit the rules of the Committee on Natural Resources. Rules of the Committee on Natural Resources, U.S. House of Representatives, 112th Congress, Adopted January 26, 2011

Mr. HASTINGS of Washington

Mr. HASTINGS of Washington. Madam Speaker, first and foremost today, my thoughts and prayers are with Congresswoman Giffords, her staff, the other victims of the shooting and their families and friends. As Members of Congress, it is our duty and our privilege to reach out to our constituents to foster open discussions and exchanges of ideas. It's what makes this institution truly the people's House and it's one of the reasons many of us decided to run for office in the first place. Gabby was doing this work when this senseless tragedy occurred. A lone gunman interrupted a routine Congress on your Corner, killing six and wounding a dozen more, including our colleague Gabby. At this somber time, I would like to echo the words of Speaker Boehner, ``An attack on one who serves is an attack on all who serve.'' We cannot let the actions of one individual challenge one of the most basic tenets of our free society--the right to peaceably assemble. It is worth noting that Congresswoman Giffords read the first amendment to our Constitution here on the House floor just days before this tragic event. I look forward to the day when Congresswoman Giffords returns to the House floor to continue her work on behalf of the people of the eighth district of Arizona. In the meantime, my thoughts and prayers are with all affected by this unthinkable event.

Mr. HASTINGS of Washington

Mr. HASTINGS of Washington. Mr. Speaker, I come to the floor today to speak in support of the repeal of the job-killing health care law. Today's vote is part of what will be an ongoing effort by House Republicans to repeal President Obama's health care law and replace it with solutions that protect jobs and preserve health care choices-- without driving our nation deeper into debt. Today we put the focus back where it belongs--jobs, affordable health care, and smaller government. Mr. Speaker, last year, the Democrat controlled Congress pushed through a government takeover of health care using a closed approach that blocked any input from our side of the aisle. Almost as soon as the bill was signed into law, the extensive reach of the strong arm of government was felt by the American people. Many were forced out of their existing health plans--even if they liked it--including many of our nation's seniors who will be pushed out of their current Medicare Advantage plans. Our nation's businesses were hit with a costly job-killing paperwork requirement--and they still face other new mandates, fines and taxes. All Americans have been hit by a mandate requiring individuals, regardless of their personal circumstances, to purchase government- approved insurance or pay a penalty. The constitutionality of this mandate is currently being challenged by a number of states including my home state of Washington. And, hospitals like the Wenatchee Valley Medical Center in a rural, medically underserved part of my district face new restrictions simply because they are owned by doctors. The American people spoke in volumes in November and it is time to respond to their message. The time has come to fulfill our promise to the American people and take steps to repeal this law that is bad for families, seniors and employers. I look forward to getting down to work on real solutions that will preserve the patient-doctor relationship, increase choices and reduce health costs.