Maurice Hinchey

I think it is worth discussing the news that U.S.-Afghan joint military operations have been suspended.

The growth is very, very slow, and the unemployment rate is still 9 percent.

The Chairman is not highlighting these transcripts. We are not waving red flags.

Thank you very much. I deeply appreciate it. The situation that we're dealing with here is critically important. It's harming huge numbers of people. What the Senate has done is an adequate solution to this problem. They've provided the…

Can you tell us how much time we have left on both sides? The Acting CHAIR. The gentleman from New York has 6 minutes remaining. The gentleman from Texas has 2\1/2\ minutes remaining.

May I inquire as to the time remaining? The Acting CHAIR. The gentleman from New York has 12 minutes remaining. The gentleman from Texas has 9 minutes remaining.

Thank you very much.

I just want to thank you for what you are doing, and what you said is so true.

If we can prevent pollution from occurring and dangers to the public health, we certainly ought to do that because we have huge examples for many centuries in this country where we haven't prevented the pollution and we end up having to…

The protecting of our wild public lands, of course, as we know, is something that is deeply important.

I have deep concerns about some of the legacy policies put in place under the previous administration and which remain in effect today.

I regard it as a very important issue.

It is something being examined here in the context of this Congress in legislation that has been introduced on both sides.

I wonder if you may have considered requiring operators on Federal leases to publicly disclose all of the chemical compounds they use in operations on those leases?

We need to know what they are, and I think if we know what they are, if there is a requirement they be revealed, the whole situation is going to be changed and made much safer.

We are introducing legislation that would require that process to come back.

It could make a very significant difference. It could bring back a lot of energy, it could bring back a lot of enterprise in various ways, it could bring back a lot of jobs.

I can't give you an exact time when we will be able to move forward with the policies, but we are working on it very hard.

Do you plan to keep in place the current policies that essentially prohibit new off-reservation gaming operations, or are you considering, just considering, changing this policy, and what can we expect to hear in the context of some kind…

The oil and gas reforms that you proposed earlier this year were among those that were very positive, and I and many others thank you for proposing them.

I just want to express to you, Secretary Salazar, my great appreciation for you and for all the very appropriate and high quality attention you are giving to the responsibilities that you have.

We do not want that species to be eliminated.

That is an important thing, and I very much appreciate it.

I think that this Administration probably realizes that this is not a wise thing to do.