John Hickenlooper

If we are going to have any committee in whose hands to put our fate, we are glad it is you guys.

We need immediate Federal action and responsible reforms that preserve coverage gains and control costs.

It's time for the Federal Government to work with us, not against us.

We need to move toward a system that compensates quality and good health, not quantity.

In 1932, Justice Louis Brandeis popularized the idea that States are the laboratories of democracy.

I am grateful to my legislative colleagues on both sides of the aisle for being willing to put politics aside to improve access to health care in our State.

It fuels more than $3 billion in annual spending on wildlife-related recreation.

Colorado's governor, John Hickenlooper, actually knows his father.

Last week, I sent a letter to the Secretary of the Interior and to the White House encouraging the Administration to issue a strong regulation for hydraulic fracturing on Federal lands.

I think ultimately we will get to that Federal regulation.

I think it will prove to be the transition energy that will allow us eventually to get to a fully renewable energy environment.

I think what would happen Federal regulations would probably be modeled after a group of States.

Responsible development of natural gas--the subject of this hearing--is fundamental to a successful energy strategy.

We are increasing our national security, and we are dramatically reducing ground--greenhouse gas emissions.

The Persian Gulf is more volatile than ever, and we see our national security--40 years after our first energy crisis, the oil is controlled by unfriendly regimes in many cases.

Obviously the economy is undergoing a steady recovery, but we still have high unemployment, a deficit makes investment difficult

In Colorado, we believe that we can best ensure our natural resources and environment are protected, while fostering the responsible development of oil and gas resources.

We don't believe there is no role for the federal government, but, on balance, we believe the states are better positioned to regulate effectively.

Recently, BLM announced that it would be issuing a new version of a proposed rule regulating hydraulic fracturing on Federal lands.

As long as we can maintain a focus on science-based applications and make sure we have the competing interest at the table, I think that we'll be able to continue the pursuit of these innovations.

If we get energy policy right, we'll make progress on all three.

We passed years ago, or a year ago, regulations that required disclosure of the composition of fracking fluids.

We are half way toward compliance, and we have reduced our carbon emissions in the United States more than all that other signatories to the Kyoto Protocols.

Thank you for allowing us this opportunity.

Governor Hickenlooper and others--they're very active, great blessing there, he gets it, he's a geologist.