U.S. Representative Louie Gohmert (R-TX) was appointed chairman of the House Subcommittee for Natural Resources Oversight and Investigations. This subcommittee has, among other responsibilities, oversight of the Bureau of Land Management (BLM). Gohmert received the committee chairmanship despite his recent historic challenge to House Speaker John Boehner earlier this month.
“It is an absolute privilege to represent the Lone Star State, more specifically east Texas, in the capacity of subcommittee chairman of such a relevant and responsible subcommittee,” Chairman Gohmert told Breitbart Texas. “This administration has hindered the United States’ ability to produce and manage our own vast resources, but I am really looking forward to helping the federal government become more responsible.”
“I expect our committee to hold bureaucrats accountable for the malaise and crony capitalism that have left so many people out of work and prices of energy so unnecessarily high. The American people deserve answers and I look forward to getting them,” the Chairman said.
The Natural Resources Committee has oversight of the Department of Interior, which includes: Bureau of Indian Affairs, Bureau of Land Management, Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, Bureau of Reclamation, Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement, National Park Service , Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement , U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, U.S. Geological Survey.
During the summer of 2014, the Bureau of Land Management announced a study that could mean the loss of up to 90,000 acres of land privately owned by Texas farmers and ranchers along the Red River boundary between Texas and Oklahoma. Then Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott and Senator Ted Cruz strongly objected to the BLM’s actions and demanded answers to a series of questions as was previously reported by Breitbart Texas. This issue is still in dispute and Gohmert’s appointment could play a significant role in moving the issue forward.
“The First Congressional District of Texas is not only rich in natural resources; it is the number one natural gas producing district in Texas, and I am proud to represent east Texas in this capacity in the U.S. Congress,” Gohmert said in a press release obtained by Breitbart Texas. “In this new role as the Natural Resources Oversight and Investigations Subcommittee Chairman, I plan to hold this administration’s feet to the fire for the good of every household in America. This economy is ready to do amazing things if we loosen the death grip that this administration has had by using over 70,000 pages of new regulations each year.”
“The Natural Resources Committee is blessed to be under the professorial leadership of Rob Bishop (R-UT),” the Chairman continued. “I issued a statement shortly after the November election supporting Rob as chairman because he has extraordinary insights and knowledge about our nation’s resources. He has my complete respect, and I am honored to work with him as his subcommittee chairman during this crucial time in our history.
“Other Congress members have mentioned that bureaucrats at the E.P.A., Land Management, U.S. Fish & Wildlife, and related bureaucracies are not likely going to be excited about having to be accountable and testify before me and my committee,” Gohmert concluded. “Personally, I very much look forward to it myself.”
Bob Price is a senior political news contributor for Breitbart Texas and a member of the original Breitbart Texas team. Follow him on Twitter @BobPriceBBTX.
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