Markey Challenges House Republicans on Natural Resources Committee Agenda

Narrow Focus on Drilling Has Ignored Job-creating Proposals in Clean Energy, Public Lands, Fishing

WASHINGTON (September 7, 2011) - In the first nine months of a Republican-led House Natural Resources Committee, much energy has been spent on perpetuating myths on offshore drilling and regulation, while ignoring many job-creating proposals that could put Americans back to work. This is the message sent to House Natural Resources Republicans today by Ranking Member Ed Markey (D-Mass.) in a letter detailing the Democratic proposals that deserve consideration in the last few months of 2011.

"As the House of Representatives reconvenes for the fall, the work of the Natural Resources Committee must focus on priorities that create jobs while protecting people, their communities and the natural resources that provide so much to our country," writes Markey. "Certain issues within the jurisdiction of the Natural Resources Committee are inherently divisive and I look forward to energetic debate on those topics. However, putting this country back to work by capitalizing on the resourcefulness and ingenuity of the American people is not a partisan issue."

The full letter can be found HERE.

In the letter to Committee Chairman Doc Hastings (R-WA), Ranking Member Markey makes the following suggestions to enhance the agenda of the committee:

Hold a hearing on Markey's drilling safety legislation that implements the recommendations of the BP spill commission, which has yet to be considered by the committee.
Address the real limits to expansion of renewable energy development on public lands to start creating more jobs by holding hearings on a number of Democratic bills, including the Federal Renewable Energy Expansion Act (H.R. 2196), and the Clean Energy Promotion Act (H.R. 2176).
Push for better water management policies that respond to the extreme drought in the southern United States.
Promote jobs for young Americans in public lands conservation by considering H.R. 587, the Public Lands Service Corp Act.
Rebuild struggling fishing communities by moving legislation like H.R. 594, the Coastal Jobs Creation Act of 2011, which would promote coastal job creation while investing in sustainable fisheries and coastal community infrastructure.
Address the uncertainty in Indian Country brought on by the 2009 Supreme Court's decision in Carcieri v. Salazar that has undermined economic development opportunities. Moving H.R. 1234, which is a straight forward clarification of the Secretary of the Interior's authority to restore tribal homelands, would eliminate jurisdictional uncertainty and support job growth in tribal economies.
2011 has already seen 10 extreme weather events that caused at least $1 billion in damage each, a new record. Global warming is making extreme weather worse and changing the climate in fundamental ways. There are a number of bills in the Committee's jurisdiction that would create jobs, improve local economies and help to deal with the impacts of climate change that are already happening and prepare for those that are coming.