Mike Simpson

Historic preservation is very important. Otherwise, we are going to wake up and find out that we do not have it anymore.

I think most of us on this committee had taken very serious view of trying to address the backlog maintenance.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman, and following up on what the Chairman said, as I told you, most of my constituents that come out here, the one thing I hear the first time they have been here is their disappointment in the Mall.

You are absolutely right.

The problem with the Antiquities Act--and I appreciate your statement saying that you will seek local input and government input on this.

Tom served the public trust and the people of Idaho well, and he will be greatly missed.

I question the wisdom of the administration proposing additional fees on onshore and offshore oil producers.

If we could replace the desire to litigate with the desire to collaborate, there is no limit to the challenges we could overcome.

Somehow we must find a way to overcome the legal and regulatory roadblocks that are consistently thrown up in the path leading to our domestic energy independence.

We in Congress need to make sure also that we, between our subcommittees, are working together.

I think it would be good because these two are intimately intertwined in what we do.

I think that we have to be smart about how we use whatever construction dollars are available.

It just seems to me like it makes sense that we could create some regional detention facilities.

I think this is perhaps an area where I have an opportunity to make the greatest contribution.

It has been a pleasure to work with Norm. He has been a great Chairman.

I would note that 51 years ago today on St. Patrick's Day, Eisenhower welcomed the first Irish president, president of Ireland, to the United States at Reagan Airport.

Thanks for what you are doing. I was going to submit my opening statement for the record, so let us keep up the good work.

When I heard that, when the President said we are going to stop paying to clean up abandoned mines that have been cleaned up, I thought, 'hmmm.'

Mr. Chairman, I just want to thank you for being here today.

Well, if you want to see some criticism on TV about wasteful government spending, it is pretty easy to stand up and say gee, you know, we are going to quit funding abandoned mines that have been cleaned up.

The fact remains that coal is part of our past, our present and our future, and I believe it will continue to play a pivotal role in fueling our economy.

I am very concerned about the potential impact in terms of lost jobs and stifled economic growth if cap-and-trade legislation and other costly regulatory actions upon the coal industry and the rest of our national economy.

$2 per child for mandatory arts programs in our schools is a much better investment.

I have never arrested a child leaving an after-school arts program.

We are losing their stories when we lose these individuals that are dying off.