Louie Gohmert

Might I ask how much time is remaining? The SPEAKER pro tempore. The gentleman has 32 minutes remaining.

I am very concerned that this draft rule marginalizes the role that state and local governments will play in the BLM planning process.

We are here today to remind BLM of its obligation to cooperate with its neighbors.

The public should be afforded a clear and consistent opportunity to review and comment on proposed new or revised Federal RMPs.

It sounds like you are saying, 'We are not extending the comment period.'

BLM's Planning 2.0 effort and this draft rule appears to ignore the law and undermines the communities that neighbor BLM land.

What will it take? And I tell you what. We are about to get to the point where it is going to take gutting BLM's leadership.

In WGA's estimation, much of the opposition to this proposal would have been mitigated had BLM engaged in 'early, meaningful and substantial' consultation.

Thank you for the opportunity to testify today and to provide the subcommittee with the viewpoints of the Western Governors I serve.

Given the significant impact that this rule is going to have on the 12 western states where the Federal Government, the BLM, owns so much of that land, and given the disproportionate impact that this rule 2.0 is going to have on these 12…

I have grave concerns about it, because I do not think there is anything I have seen in the rule that limits who that might be.

The effects of resource management plans on communities throughout the West cannot be overstated.

You would be accused of being racist, hating the elderly, hating veterans, hating this that or the other.

If we do not go down the road to get to fiscal responsibility, you are going to get through your life okay.

the OIG reported that former BLM Director Bob Abbey personally arranged to sell Bureau of Land Management land in Nevada.

Did you believe there was sufficient evidence to go forward with the prosecution in that case?

Did you find evidence you believed indicated criminal violations in that Abbey land deal?

The Department's failure to hold its employees accountable facilitates unethical and illegal behavior.

It is completely appropriate for this committee to request the presence of the Department of Justice at the witness table.

Is it unusual for the Department of Justice, in cases in which they are investigating with you, where you have identified early on that there appears to be potential criminal conduct--is it unusual for them to decline to prosecute the case?

I think a great deal of her and I am proud to consider her a friend.

Interior has 'a culture of compliance.'

the Department's failure to hold its employees accountable facilitates unethical and illegal behavior.

The DOJ's refusal to be here today casts their record of non-prosecution of Administration misconduct into a light of accommodating such misconduct.

Let me make this clear--it is completely appropriate for this committee to request the presence of the Department of Justice at the witness table.