Bruce Westerman

The atmosphere is a global entity. It does not have borders.

Right. So, when you build this battery plant, where are you going to get the lithium, the metals, the rare earths that are needed to build the batteries? Where will they come from?

So, we would have a lot of squeeze and not much juice out of this new law.

This looks like something you would see on a comedy skit. But, unfortunately, it is the sad reality of what it takes to permit a mine in Nevada.

I find it ironic that we are having a hearing on Mining Act reform.

I believe my colleagues on both sides of the aisle and even the administration seem to share the same goal--responsibly acquiring the minerals our country needs.

I am bewildered and disappointed when the Department of the Interior and many of my colleagues on the other side of the aisle take actions and support bills--like the bill we are discussing today--to kill some of the most promising mining…

What we should be discussing today the true minerals problem--the alarming global shortage of hardrock resources needed for our future.

I cannot express how terrible this decision is for the country, not to mention tone deaf, in light of gas prices hitting new record highs this week at $4.40 a gallon.

The actions tend to show that we believe it is more climate change.

We definitely need to see some progress like last year.

If we come back in a year or 2 years, and there are not any results to show for the money that's being spent...

What about outside litigants? Does that stop any of it?

Is there a danger of doing prescribed fire without mechanical thinning first?

Sometimes it might seem like we are negative about the agencies, but I have traveled across the country...

We are going to talk about what we need to do with the trees that we have before we talk about planting more of them.

I think if the general public could see what we see as Members of Congress, there would be a huge outrage about what is happening on the southern border and our policies there.

To think that we have apprehended enough fentanyl to give a lethal dose to every American citizen is just outrageous.

The border crisis is exacerbating our nation's opioid crisis.

The report is retained in committee files and available at: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.dibe.2020.100030.

I was pleased when I read the majority's memo on the hearing, and especially the part where they reference climate and ecological data.

Is it time to end virtual hearings? Is it time to come back and vote in person?

I still believe it works best when we are in person.

I like coming to the Rules Committee because you all are in-person, because I can look around the room and see facial expressions.

You abdicate a lot of our input, our authority as Members of Congress, elected Members of Congress.