Melanie Stansbury: “I will go back to the language of the text. As I read the text as it appears on the page as introduced, it is seeking to…”

“I will go back to the language of the text. As I read the text as it appears on the page as introduced, it is seeking to exempt Federal permitting requirements for the subsurface estate, so that means Federal resources. They are saying, if it is private land on top but public on the bottom, you don't have to get a permit. That is what they are saying. Now, I know that boggles the mind for some folks, but that is essentially an American resource. The people of this country should have a say as to whether or not they want an energy plant to go in, for drilling to happen under their lands, for resources to be extracted. It is just common sense. Mr. Speaker, I will also make the point that there were some comments made about the administration trying to restrict geothermal. That is just patently untrue. This is not about trying to restrict or trying to stop geothermal; this is just about maintaining the existing requirements that we have in protecting American resources in the subsurface so that the taxpayers get a fair shake and that the American public can say whether or not they think it is a good idea to have a private company drilling and removing resources under our feet. It is common sense. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.”