I believe we need a bold, new sustainable energy vision for our country.

This proposal is a national energy tax which will be passed onto the American people.

As higher energy prices hit other areas of our economy, farmers and ranchers will pay more for seed, equipment, steel, and other supplies.

The future of forestry is an essential issue for all of us, all Members of this Committee.

Demand for lumber has dropped more than 50 percent since 2005.

It is rare to see that now but the thought crossed my mind, what a waste.

Forestry has been a vital component of this country and its economy for more than 400 years.

Wood is the original renewable energy resource.

My constituents have raised concerns with this action, stressing the importance of state primacy on this sensitive issue.

I cannot understate the concerns from my constituents when it comes to accountability and transparency in how government spends taxpayer money.

Farmers cannot afford rising water costs, and I hope we can all agree on the need to repair and safeguard aging infrastructure before beginning any new initiatives.

If we announce this in August, no one in the world will even pay any attention to this at all.

If you can't make investments in human infrastructure and physical infrastructure... then that ability to grow in the 21st century is going to be severely curtailed.

We are trying to get more people more interested in this idea of being creative, how we can finance and fund...

I want to point out that the gentlelady from Wyoming made some very important observations.

60 percent of adults are either overweight or obese, 31 percent of children.

opening statement

Like many of my colleagues, I am very concerned about the rising rate of obesity among Americans.