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“What is unfortunate is that it takes an issue like this for our Committee to hold a hearing focusing on the most important issue facing the American people - energy.

“At a time when our constituents are struggling to make their budgets balance,

while they face $4 gasoline, rising food costs, increasing taxes,

the Committee responsible for legislation addressing ’s energy production

has gone nearly half this year without a hearing on energy.” – Rep. Pearce

            Washington, D.C. – The following is U.S. Rep. Stevan Pearce’s (R-NM) statement from today’s hearing entitled "Recent Interior Department Inspector General Investigations on Federal Oil and Gas".

Pearce is the Ranking Member on the Energy and Mineral Resources Subcommittee.

Shameful & Disgusting Behavior By Handful Of Career Employees

Mr. Chairman, I want to thank you for holding this hearing.  Today, we will hear from the Secretary of the Department of the Interior, Dirk Kempthorne, and the DOI Inspector General, Earl Devaney.   I would like to personally welcome back the Inspector as it is always a pleasure to have him here before this Committee.

The subject is the recently completed reports by the Inspector focusing on the shameful, disgusting, and deceptive behavior by a handful of career employees in the Department of Interior.

I expect that no one here today will attempt to defend these career employees, many who have served from the Carter and Clinton administrations, for there is no defense for their actions.  The juicy details of their salacious behavior are more appropriate for the pages of People magazine than the Congressional Record or the front page of the Washington Post. 

However, clearly these details draw the media’s attention and, by their attendance, the attention of my Democrat colleagues.

Many Offenders Continue Working For Government

Mr. Chairman, in the 18 months since the Inspector first mentioned this investigation it has cost nearly $5.5 million.  During this lengthy process, many of the worst offenders have continued to hold jobs at the Department of the Interior while the Secretary was unable to take action against them awaiting the Inspectors report.  I have confidence that we will hear from the Secretary his plans to take decisive disciplinary action against these individuals now that he finally has these reports. 

Let there be no doubt the reckless behavior by these employees has brought shame and cast a shadow over all the outstanding and responsible employees at the Department of Interior.  Sadly, many may now question the behavior of other employees in other parts of the Department.

They may ask are these Park Service employees too close to concessionaries?  Did those Fish and Wildlife Service personnel fabricate data or provide inside information to environmental lawyers?  Are those agency officials lobbying for legislation? 

It is unfortunate that this fog is cast over this historic agency.

Natural Resources Committee Has Not Addressed National Energy Crisis

What is more unfortunate however, Mr. Chairman, is that it takes an issue like this for our Committee to hold a hearing focusing on the most important issue facing the American people - energy. 

At a time when our constituents are struggling to make their budgets balance, while they face $4 gasoline, rising food costs, increasing taxes, the Committee responsible for legislation addressing America’s energy production has gone nearly half this year without a hearing on energy.

It’s not that there aren’t solutions out there.  Among my many proposals before this Committee, I have introduced legislation to bring more than six million acres of new solar power to the American people but the opposition by radical environmental groups has prevented that bill from even getting a hearing. 

Mr. Peterson and Mr. Abercrombie have introduced bipartisan legislation dealing with the OCS. 

Our Ranking Member has legislation that would increase ’s domestic supply by 20 percent from only 2000 acres. 

Mr. Lampson, Mr. Green, Mr. Bishop, Mr. Cannon all have legislation before this committee which could help address America’s energy problems, yet we have gone nearly half this year without debate, consideration, or hearings on energy.

“Energy” Bill Passed This Week Is Ineffective

Instead on the House floor, we are passing legislation telling the American people to spend more time riding bicycles, when we should be helping lower the price to fill their tanks.

gets it. is converting from bicycles to nuclear.  is building a new coal power plant each week. 

Meanwhile, Americans are facing a winter with possibly the highest home heating costs ever.

Americans are worried about our standard of living. They are worried about the ability to pay for their kids' college, and we are sitting here discussing the intimate behavior of a 30 year career analyst from an Interior office in Denver.

Committee Should Be Focusing On Energy Solutions For American Public

            With all due respect, I wonder if our time wouldn’t be better spent debating energy legislation and finding a bipartisan solution for the American people. 

Last year, we had the courage to debate in this Committee.  Over several weeks we debated our views and proposals for energy in .   Each of us got the opportunity to put forward proposals to solve the energy crisis facing .  This year, we will hold one hearing in half the year and the subject could be a cable TV miniseries.

Mr. Chairman, I think I speak for every one of us on this side of the aisle when I say it’s not to late in this session to have the courage to debate energy legislation in this Committee.  It’s not too late to put our proposals on the table and find a bipartisan solution to the energy crisis facing Americans.

I believe in American exceptionalism, I believe in our ability to bring hope to the entire world, and I believe this Committee can help solve the energy problems we face.