Our current Northwest dam infrastructure cleanly powers our industries, businesses, jobs and families--and at low cost.

We can have fish and new sustainable hydropower and I and the Commissioners at Grant PUD support H.R. 6247 that Doc Hastings has presented.

As a farmer and Grant County PUD Commissioner today I can tell u we look for win win opportunities for fish and dams today.

Two years ago, members of this Committee called on the Department of the Interior's Acting Inspector General to conduct an investigation into the Department's May 2010 Drilling Moratorium Report Executive Summary that was edited to appear…

There are legitimate questions that this independence is being compromised.

The Inspector General Act of 1978 requires the IG to be independent, to cooperate with and provide information to Congress, and to protect whistleblowers.

Since becoming Chairman, this Committee has been conducting an investigation into the editing of this report and how the moratorium decision was made.

I am very pleased to yield 1 additional minute to the gentleman from Louisiana (Mr. Landry).

The bill we are now considering, H.R. 6168, is a very simple bill. It would implement President Obama's proposed offshore drilling lease plan for the years 2012 to 2017. Late yesterday, the House debated H.R. 6082, the Congressional…

This is not a foreign policy bill. This is a bill about American jobs and American energy. And these subjects that are brought up in this motion to recommit are covered in other areas, as they should be. For example, the Iranian issue is…

I am very pleased to yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Colorado (Mr. Lamborn), a member of the Natural Resources Committee and a subcommittee chairman.

I am very pleased to yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Louisiana (Mr. Landry), a Representative of a coastal State and a very important member of the Natural Resources Committee.

How much time do I have remaining? The Acting CHAIR. The gentleman has 9\1/4\ minutes remaining.

I would tell my friend from Massachusetts, I have one other request for time and then myself to close.

I am very pleased to yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Hurt).

I urge adoption of the amendment, and I yield back the balance of my time. The Acting CHAIR. The question is on the amendment offered by the gentleman from Washington (Mr. Hastings). The amendment was agreed to. {time} 1750 Amendment No. 2…

And I will just take a few seconds here. This amendment is very simple. It makes two small technical corrections to the way the plan is referred to in the bill, and I urge my colleagues to support this amendment. I yield to the gentleman…

I have an amendment at the desk. The Acting CHAIR. The Clerk will designate the amendment. The text of the amendment is as follows: Page 1, beginning at line 11, strike ``Proposed oil and gas leasing program (2012-2017)'' and insert…

Reclaiming my time, what the gentleman is talking about is lease sales. Somebody has made an investment. They do not know if that area has any oil or natural gas. They don't know. They will go through all the studies. They'll spend…

I yield myself the balance of my time. The 2 percent figure that you are using is the known reserves. The potential resources that we have are much, much greater than that. And really, when you are looking at potential future energy…

I thank the gentleman for yielding and say that if you run out of time, I will claim the time. First, I do not deny that, except the figures that you're using aren't quite accurate; I will say that in the sense that the 2 percent you're…

In deference to my good friend from Florida, I really believe that this is a political amendment that would simply require companies seeking to drill offshore to estimate the impact that increased oil and gas production would have on…

I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Chairman, this is yet another attempt to legislate a decision that was made during the Clinton administration. The constant attempt to renegotiate contracts that were signed, sealed, and…

I yield myself the balance of the time. Okay. Let's say it again: The gentleman's remarks would imply that, because there is increased oil production in this country, it's due to the actions of this administration. Nothing, Mr. Chairman…

I am the last speaker on my side, so you do what you have to do, and I will respond accordingly.