Political Quotes

“Madam Chairman, this amendment prohibits the use of funds to implement or enforce the DRBC's rule to ban hydraulic fracturing within the Delaware River Basin. The best way to combat high natural gas prices that all of us are paying is to produce more natural gas in America, not less. In places like my home, the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, the second largest natural gas producer in the Nation, it is unfortunate that unelected, unaccountable bureaucrats at the Delaware River Basin Commission have instituted a hydraulic fracturing ban for a portion of our State, our Commonwealth, stripping away, at the stroke of a pen, property and mineral rights from Pennsylvanians in contravention of the will of their own legislature. These aren't elected officials. These are folks who just have a different idea and have the authority to take. The result is a prohibition on the development of critical shale plays in eastern Pennsylvania that can bring desperately needed natural gas to market and the unconstitutional taking of the mineral rights of Pennsylvania. That is the result. To be clear, this amendment simply prohibits the DRBC from implementing or enforcing this hydraulic fracturing ban, but it does not impact the ability of the States in the river basin to regulate hydraulic fracturing as they see fit. Madam Chair, I reserve the balance of my time.”