John Barrasso: “I rise today in anger, in disbelief, and in disgust over the bureaucratic inner workings of Washington. There is a…”

“I rise today in anger, in disbelief, and in disgust over the bureaucratic inner workings of Washington. There is a program called the Abandoned Mine Lands Program. It was created as a Federal-State partnership. The Federal Government collects the money and then it is designed to return half to the States. Over many years, administrations of both parties have failed to honor the Federal Government's responsibility and commitment to the States and to the tribes. I recently learned the Office of Surface Mining has decided to delay and withhold $600 million in funding owed to the people of Wyoming and to deny hundreds of millions of dollars more owed to States nationwide. They have used an internal policy memo to manipulate the law. Doing so is nothing short of outrageous. This most recent decision reeks of bureaucratic doublespeak, and it does it to achieve an outcome I believe was predetermined. I cannot attempt to explain their decision or their reasoning because the decision, to me, was already predetermined. This action represents a sad example of why so many Americans, and why my constituents back home in Wyoming, have lost faith in Washington. The words of the Washington bureaucrats ring hollow. I am, frankly, amazed, amazed the bureaucrats can take the clear language, the language from this body that says: Payments shall be made in seven equal installments. And then they twist those words into a grant program requiring review and making an application.”