John Fleming

Mr. Lowenthal suggests that this is just a floor on regulations. But if the floor is all the way up to the ceiling, then that really doesn't give operators much room to move.

Both Secretaries Jewell and Salazar of the Interior have testified that they are not aware of any harm from hydraulic fracturing over the 50 or 60 years of its history to human beings, or contamination of any water supply, which really…

99.3 percent of all well completions on Federal or tribal land occurred in states with hydraulic fracturing regulations.

The BLM arrogantly seeks to second guess state regulations with a one-size-fits-all final rule on hydraulic fracturing.

Let me be clear about what this variance provision is. It is merely a means by which the BLM may interpret state or tribal regulations on Federal lands.

I would say that the BLM's final rule on hydraulic fracturing is nothing more than a frivolous regulatory exercise.

The EPA's recent study finding that there had been no 'widespread, systemic impacts on drinking water resources in the United States.'

There is a showing of a credible threat of irreparable harm: in cost of compliance, as well as the loss of revenue.

For decades the states have been regulating hydraulic fracturing on Federal lands managed by the BLM without incident.

And who has the right to close? The Acting CHAIR. The gentleman from Louisiana has the only time remaining. The gentleman from California yielded back the balance of his time.

Back to the constitutionality, we may all have different opinions about this, but it has been settled. The Supreme Court in 2005, Gonzales v. Raich, 6-3, said that the Federal Government does have a right to enforce drug policies and for…

I do not yield. The Acting CHAIR. The gentleman does not yield. The time is controlled by the gentleman from Louisiana.

If the gentleman is yielding to me, I would point out that the Colorado he describes does not exist.

I demand a recorded vote. The Acting CHAIR. Pursuant to clause 6 of rule XVIII, further proceedings on the amendment offered by the gentleman from California will be postponed. Amendment Offered by Mr. Grayson

Okay. I am not going to dominate the gentleman's time. This has been under study for over 40 years. My university, the University of Mississippi, has been legally growing pot for over 40 years and studying it, so it has been studied.

May I inquire how much time I have remaining? The Acting CHAIR. The gentleman from Louisiana has 2 minutes remaining, and the gentleman from California has 15 seconds remaining.

I would just say in conclusion that DEA tells us otherwise, that it is difficult to distinguish. It is a problem for them. They are the ones who have to enforce this. Also, there isn't any product that you can get from hemp. Hemp…

Who has the right to close? The Acting CHAIR. The gentlewoman from Oregon has the right to close since the gentleman from Louisiana is not on the committee.

Well, again, I think that makes my point. That underlines and underscores my point that the Federal bureaucracy seems to feel that it is being underfunded, but it doesn't have any problem allowing its inefficiency to run costs up for the…

We passed a huge bill increasing the funding after all of the scandals at the VA, only to find out virtually nothing has been fixed, and virtually nobody has been fired.

I, on the other hand, believe that the problem is more often poor management and poor accountability.

Of course, we all know that in the last 6 to 7 years the budget deficit has accelerated to the fastest pace in the history of this Nation.

I also want to explain how our timing lights work.

This bill doesn't just help those of us out West.

Electric transmission lines represent a critical part of our national infrastructure.