John Hoeven

I would like to thank him for being here and for his commitment on behalf of Native Americans.

Lifting the oil export ban was very important and that set a very good example of what I am talking about.

We have an Administration, the Obama Administration, that continually makes it harder and more expensive and more difficult to produce oil and gas in this country through regulation and other restrictions while at the same time making it…

The fact that we produce zero rare earths and are now, again, 100 percent dependent on China for our rare earths should be unsettling to all of us.

If we want to help our friends, especially our gas consuming friends in Japan, in Asia and elsewhere, we do want to increase global supply.

We just recently, led by our Chairman, lifted the oil export ban which had been in place for 40 years.

We have lousy permitting processes. Where, in terms of permitting for mines, minerals, if we are not the worst in the world, we are close to being the worst.

How do we empower our industry to compete rather than shackle it at the same time we are actually taking steps that assist our adversaries?

I think that is the wrong approach, and I think it has ramifications in job creation in this country, in economic growth in this country and in national security from the standpoint of energy security.

Nobody should be paying $9.99 for their oil when people here in Washington, DC are getting it for $2.10.

I believe that lifting the oil export ban is important for our country and will help with national security through energy security.

We think that kind of enhanced communication and sharing is crucial and ongoing.

The Violence Against Women Act, which really helped tribal courts enhance their entire system, has been incredibly successful.

The Tribal Law and Order Act has now been in effect for five years.

That kind of goes back to what Secretary Roberts was talking about.

We have to work together better.

A one-size-fits-all does not work so a good rule has flexibility so that it works in any circumstance.

Well, what I hear is your alternative compliance provisions are not adequate. Are you willing to address them?

Ms. Savitz, would you not agree that one-size-fits-all is problematic given all the different conditions that we have?

A one-size-fits-all application just simply does not work, cannot work.

And then what about the comment period? We had asked for a 120-day comment period, and you have only extended 30 days.

I think that is very important because you have not hosted meetings in the Western states--at least in Wyoming or North Dakota.

But you are open to addressing the circumstances that I have outlined where we are meeting all the requirements and acknowledged that there are differences and that you cannot apply a one-size-fits-all. Is that correct?

Well, I am very pleased that you said that because according to the Office of Surface Mining's 2015 Annual Evaluation Report for North Dakota, the agency concluded that the state, 'has an effective program with no issues that need…

So one-size-fits-all even though you have different geology and different practices and different types of mining in different parts of the country. That does not make sense, does it?