Click here to watch Sen. Barrasso’s remarks.
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator John Barrasso (R-Wyo.) delivered the following remarks after voting against the nomination of Rhea Suh, the Obama Administration’s nominee to be Assistant Secretary for Fish, Wildlife, and Parks at the Department of the Interior. The Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee voted 12-10, in favor of Ms. Suh’s nomination today.
“Madame Chairman, in 2007, Ms. Suh called natural gas production: ‘easily the single greatest threat to the ecological integrity of the West.’
“I find Ms. Suh’s statement very troubling. But this is only the tip of the iceberg with respect to Ms. Suh’s opposition to natural gas.
“Prior to arriving at the Department of the Interior, Ms. Suh spent nine years at the Hewlett Foundation.
“During this time, she created a grant program to finance radical environmental organizations advocating for the elimination of natural gas-fired power plants.
“That’s right—the elimination of natural gas-fired power plants.
“We’re now considering and have considered whether Ms. Suh should oversee such agencies as: the Fish and Wildlife Service.
“Now if confirmed by the full Senate, Ms. Suh would have extraordinary power over public lands as well as private property.
“If confirmed, she would be able to block natural gas production on public lands and private property.
“In light of Ms. Suh’s past statements and actions, I expect her to do exactly that.
“I, therefore, think it’s fair to say that a vote for Ms. Suh is a vote against natural gas.
“Her record in this position offers additional reasons why we should not promote Ms. Suh.
“In December, she testified before this Committee that she has been: ‘involved in every single one of the major policy priorities from Secretary Salazar to now Secretary Jewell.’
“These priorities include the abuse of the Endangered Species Act; the Bureau of Land Management’s hydraulic fracturing regulations; the Office of Surface Mining’s stream rule to block coal production; and the Department’s moratorium on oil and gas exploration in the Gulf of Mexico.
“So I think it’s fair to say that anyone voting for Ms. Suh is also voting in favor of these policies.
“Thank you, Madame Chairman.”