As chairman, Hastings would ‘hold the administration accountable’ on drilling

Rep. Doc Hastings (R-Wash.) outlined his priorities for next Congress today if he is chosen by his fellow Republicans to assume the chairmanship of the House Natural Resources Committee.

His priorities, according to a written statement, include increasing domestic energy production “through an all-of-the-above energy plan” and ensuring that the Obama administration is held “accountable” for its new offshore drilling policies.

Here is his full statement:

Now is the time for Republicans to get to work and prove that we have truly listened to the American people.

Like all committees, one of our top priorities on the Natural Resources Committee will be cutting spending and bringing fiscal sanity back to Washington, D.C.  The days of big government spending are over and we must take a hard look at what our country can truly afford during these times of soaring deficits and record debt.

Creating new jobs and giving a much needed boost to the economy will also be at the forefront of our agenda.  Through the responsible stewardship of our natural resources we can put Americans to work, strengthen our economy and protect the environment.  This includes increasing domestic energy production through an all-of-the-above energy plan and ensuring that public lands are actually open to the public.  The livelihoods of rural communities, especially in the West, are dependent on the smart use of our public lands, water, timber, minerals and energy resources.

Finally, the Committee will provide much needed oversight of the Obama Administration’s policies that have largely gone unchecked for nearly two years.  Our goal will be to hold the Administration accountable and get much needed answers on a range of issues including the de facto offshore drilling moratorium in the Gulf, potential new monument designations and plans to lock up vast portions of our oceans through an irrational zoning process.