defining the future for increasingly connected life. the president will call on the oddest of either ideas and talents to make technology work for us especially comes to tackling the challenges like increasing participation political process and citing climate change. in the lead up to the the the "texas tribune" will also source questions from its online audience. afterward of the president will attend events in austin. you will then travel to dallas, texas, where he will spend the night. on saturday he will attend a dnc event before returning to washington that evening. we will have additional details about the presence trip to texas early next week. so with that i know it's still a couple hours way but i hope you have a great weekend. see you, guys. [inaudible conversations] >> press secretary josh curran is finishing up today's white

house briefing. reporters asking questions about the economy and the latest job numbers. president obama spoke about that just a while ago. the president offering remarks earlier today. >> everybody all set? i thought it might be useful to take a small break from the spectacle of the political season and now i gather oj, to focus on something that really matters to the american people, and that is how is the economy doing and how is it affecting their lives. this morning we learned that the u.s. economy has created 242000 jobs last month. that's two months in a row as the unemployment rate below 5%, and over the past three months our workforce has grown by 1.5 million people. that is progress. overall, the american business has now created new jobs for 72

straight months. six straight years of job creation. 14.3 million new jobs. and factor businesses have created jobs every single month since i signed that job killing obamacare bill. think about this. if somebody had told the seven years ago that we would get to this point at a time when we are losing 800,000 jobs a month and the unemployment hit 10%, we would not have believed them. today america's business our great jobs at the fastest pace since the 1990s. america's workforce is growing at the fastest pace since the year 2000. data showing the kind of strength and durability that makes america's economy right now the envy of the world despite the enormous headwinds that it's receiving because of weaknesses in other parts of the world. in other words, the numbers, the facts don't lie.

i think it's useful given that there seems to be an alternative reality out there from some of the political folks that america is down in the dumps. it's not. america is pretty darn great right now, and making strides right now. and small businesses to large businesses alike are hiring right now and investing right now, and building this country brick by brick, locked by block, neighborhood by neighborhood all across the country. and i don't expect that these facts and this evidence will convince some of the politicians out there to change their doomsday rhetoric, talking about how terrible america is. but the american people should be proud of what they have

achieved because this speaks to their resilience, innovation, creativity, risk-taking and grit. the fact of the matter is that the plans we put in place to grow the economy have worked. they would work even faster if we did not have the kind of obstruction that we've seen in this town to prevent additional policies that would make a difference. and is going to be a debate going on around the budget in the coming months. republicans in congress are sadly trying to cut some of the investments that could spur additional growth. they are blocking things like increase in the minimum wage, or more robust investment in jobs, training, infrastructure, education that can contend to lift up wages and incomes. and area by the way in which we are not seeing the same kinds of

pace that we want to see and we are, if we're working together we could be making a difference. that's what we should be debating. that's the debate that is worthy of the american people. not fantasy, not name-calling, us trying to talk down these the american economy but looking at the facts, understanding that we made excellent progress and job growth. how can we continue to advance the, how can we make sure people are successful in climbing a ladder of wage and income growth over the coming years. how do we make sure that we make this economy grow even faster? and so the counterproposals that we put forward repeatedly in terms of rebuilding our infrastructure, improving our job training system, lifting the minimum wage, dealing with

things like family leave and paid leave, making sure that retirement accounts are more helpful to middle class families and working families, making college more affordable. told you all the things that are going to make an enormous difference. we've got to continue to push that agenda. that's what we should be talking about and that's what i'm going to be talking about with my economic team here in the coming months. the notion that we would reverse the very policies that help dig us out of a recession reinstitute those that got us into a whole, plans that are being currently proposed by republicans in congress and by some of the candidates for president, that's not the conversation we should be having. that's not the direction america should be taking. i'm looking forward to very forcefully making clear that what we have done has made a

difference, and that there's a huge gap between the rhetoric that's going on out there and the reality of success we are seeing in america's economy, even as we acknowledge that there's more work that can be done to make sure that everybody is been sitting on that success. all right? thank you very much everybody. have a good weekend. have a good weekend. see you. >> a live picture here of the conservative political action conference going on outside of the nation's capital featuring presidential candidates including ohio governor john kasich. >> the politicians and regulators are lining up to try to snuff it out. the fact of the matter is we need to welcome innovation and change. it makes us fresh, new, alive again and we've got to stop that kind of stuff. >> i want to talk about homeland security.

we have people chopping off peoples heads, burning to ally. piercing convert or die and it raises questions about the safety and security of every american. isis is the modern-day evil in our time. time. >> yes. >> is this an ongoing war court can we win it without boots on the ground? >> no, we have to get, just like what we did to push saddam hussein out of kuwait. look, here's my view. you do the arabs, okay, you get egypt and jordan and saudi arabia, the gulf states and others and then bring our western allies who are really sitting right there. we've got to go in the air on the ground and went to destroy isis. >> so we are going back on the ground -- >> but wait, destroy them, settlement, get done and come home. don't beat policemen of the world spin why are they not doing it on their own? >> because they won't. we have to lead nothing is going to happen and isis is going to go -- grow bigger and digging deeper. let's talk a here at home.

the fbi had the counterterrorism task force along with only security state and local officials, and that's a good. and they did a great job of disrupting. for everybody here, you see something, call somebody, please. let me tell you we have this big fight going on between apple and our intelligence community. if i were president of the united states i would take apple and intelligence community, locking in a room and say you are not coming out into the figure this out to you, you will not talk to the press about it and we will not put on the front page of the paper. we are just going to make sure we're secure. that's what a leader does. [applause] >> governor kasich at cpac today, when many speakers you will hear from including senator ted cruz, ben carson. the conference runs until 5:00 this evening and c-span will have live coverage. carly fiorina will address the group tonight at nine eastern. c-span will be live with that as

well. donald trump was scheduled to speak tomorrow. unexpectedly had to cancel his appearance. senator marco rubio is scheduled speak out about 11:35 a.m. tomorrow. live coverage about on c-span. all four days of speeches available on our website, c-span.org. we also cover john kasich sunday. he holds a rally in columbus with arnold schwarzenegger. coming up tonight, supreme court oral argument on the constitutionality of a texas law that imposes new rules on abortion clinics and doctors. that will never access to abortion clinics. >> from the court today the story in the hill newspaper this morning supreme court has sent monday april 18 for oral argument that case charging president obama executive actions on immigration. the program the president launch executive action lecture to shield immigrants for deportation have been put on

hold since a federal judge ruled texas and when the other states have a legitimate basis to challenge them. justices are being asked to weigh whether the actions are illegal and whether a state of voluntarily provide a subsidy to some immigrants grants have standing to bring the case. earlier this week the house said they would vote in the coming weeks on whether to allow speaker paul ryan to file a brief on the legality of president obama's action. he said the president is not permitted to write law, only congress is. that from the hill today. >> interior secretary sally jewell testifies the president obama 2017 budget request which includes $2 billion for improving post-resilience to climate change. secretary jewell also to the house natural resource to me about the department plan to place a moratorium on new coal leasing. as well as this proposal to repeal offshore oil and gas revenue sharing a lot of the gulf states.

>> all right. we're going to get started at this hearing will come to order. we are examining the department of the interior spending priorities in the fiscal year 2017 budget it under rule four of any oral opening statements are limited to the chair, the ranking minority member, a vice chair and the designee of the ranking minority member so we'll allow that to happen. therefore, i ask unanimous consent that any other members opening statements if they wish to have some be included as part of hearing record. each submitted to the court why 5 p.m. today eastern time or the close of this hearing, which ever comes first. i like about that one, too. without objection so ordered i'm also going asking and is considered that greg walden be allowed, is able to join us can sit on the dice and participate in today's hearings. with no objection so ordered. going to recognize myself first

for five minutes. as we begin this process i sarcastically sat the other day don't impossible about this budget will be the last one we are going to see. that is both sarcastic and oversimplification unfortunately terribly accurate. with $19 trillion deficit, this is a $20.000000000 budget that is basically the same folder everywhere friends, punishes enemies, listens to some, ignores others. the budget omits tens of millions of dollars that are going to be spent to defend against frivolous lawsuits, groups to file against this department. these losses together with more than 200 regulations issued last year like economic developer the without any compensation benefits to land, wildlife, air, water, resources or the people who live in the area of the people who come to recreate in those particular areas. rules like the hydraulic fracturing rule which is legally

deficient rules that discourage onshore policing, resources towards a flawed climate action plan for withdrawal of 10 million acres from a minority government of the west for a habitat for the greater sage-grouse which is an poorly on federal land but is doing great on state and private land because they know what to do. i am also perplexed by the departments double standard for stringently and forcing consultation. apparently on epa's clean power plan rolled over and epa dumps 3 million gallons of crap into the animas river that's includes. includes. just whitewashed the entire thing. this committee did receive subpoenaed documents from army corps, parts response to major department and staff will be reviewing those and will be followed up and await your full response for those issues. we have a $19 billion backlog that's facing this department

get we want to add more lands. we are undercutting future grazing on federal lands with the sizable increase that is addition to 25% increase that occurred last year and rather than informing congress of the largest grazing the increasing years, they chose to leak it to an online news agency. i learned about whe it when the reporter asked me a question of the. that is not what i consider to be transparency. the esa regulations, we have a department budget that does nothing to address the west drought problem. when we could be putting 200,000 acres of land and agriculture productions instead will be diverting more water in california. you have a program in their that deals with drought mitigation, rehabilitation, $166 million. for those of us in the republican areas will get 3.5 many of the. the other 162 we don't. that drought hits all of the west.

is not a blue or red state drought or you wouldn't be able to recognize a by this budget. we had hearing the other day, we don't with the land-use plan that by law had to have consultation and coordination with local government and yet the city had not been told anyway and the county said women because they were never returned. a special interest group panelist happened to be there so i don't understand that always pick up my phone when i call. that's part of the problem that we have. the are some groups openly listen to, some groups that seem to be ignored and this budget does that same thing again. it has no solutions but it will not expand or strengthen the energy portfolio. it does nothing for catastrophic wildfires. does nothing for severe droughts across the southwest but it does give opportunity for more red tape, more jobs going overseas, higher taxes and especially higher these the american people have to do. we may go into this part of the process is what a turn over to my friends on that side of the

out their job is to defend your budget. it's going to be a difficult task to do. i understand that's what i've to do in the last use of the bush administration. you get to do the same thing. i'm just telling you that your spin is going to be the envy of every las vegas contortionist. because this budget could've been a blueprint for future cooperation and it's that i think it's a blueprint for future partisan bickering and it's not what it could have been your iq back about that. without i will yield back my time and noticed first issue i 30 seconds left. key element to look at this as we are going to try to get going to ask questions but i will yield to mr. grijalva so you can start the spin. defended the undependable. >> thank you very much for this or opportunity to defend. thank you, secretary-general, for being here. only one person in the room i might add is actually produced a budget for the coming fiscal year and that is secretary

jewell. despite announcing they would have the budget by now, house republicans can't seem to agree on a plan. that failure is due to internal bickering and the same republican extremism that caused them shutdowns, that crises in resignation of a previous speaker. when comes to appropriations palestine the house passed an injury bill was 2009 when the house was controlled by democrats. this is six fiscal years of failure in a row. the budget request that suggested that would result in more than 10 billion revenue flowing into the pockets of american taxpayers. the request includes legislative proposals that if enacted by the congress would result in a 4.5 billion in revenue. in other words, if congress just got out of the way, a enacted ts budget request, the department would pay for itself and have more than $1 billion left over. house republicans have no budget of their own and can't seem to

pass individual a progression bills but that doesn't stop them from having loud opinions about the administration's proposals. as with health care policy, foreign policy, defense policy and even nominate to the supreme court, the president is the untold in the room while the house republicans criticized, that all of the administration's work. to fail to do your job then criticize those who are doing theirs is hypocritical and irresponsible. i would urge my colleagues across the aisle rather than spending your five minutes attacking the budget, take at least some of your time to explain your own views and what our spend party should be and i suggest we pay for them. the budget request would spend 860 million including 300 million in medicare spending to mark the 100th anniversary of the national park service. invest in restoring and maintaining resources over the next decade. the committee has yet to do

this. this budget includes 2 billion mandatory funding to respond to the impacts of climate change in at risk coastal communities. this committee has yet to consider legislation for the to climate change impact and deceptive majority of the committee believes climate change is real. this budget includes responsible realistic spending proposals to address while fire and drought, two of the most devastating problems facing the west. this committee continues to hold partisan during which the blame, they blame trees for the fire and fish for the drought. this budget contemplates the real investments in clean energy on federal lands. this committee only addressed at our old reddick drill, baby, drill. this budget calls for meaningful investment in programs serving the first americans. while this committee pursues an ideal that will destroy american youth sacred sites and harm the

quality of life in 1800 i expect my colleagues will ignore the specifics and spend a railing against the democratic spending in general. to them i would offer a reminder. on the two presidents have reduced the deficit during their tenure, bill clinton and barack obama. producing a detailed annual budget request for the entire federal government is an enormous task that requires serious work and political courage. attacking this budget without producing an alternative requires none of the above. with that let me yield back. >> thank you. ms. lummis. >> thank you, mr. chairman. and thank you, secretary jewell. it's always nice to have you in our committee. the department of the interior manages 500 million acres of land but it's about one-fifth of the whole united states. half of my state, half is managed by the department of the interior. so you manage as much us on disposable for representing in that state.

blm is the majority of that, of course, with smaller portions being controlled by the fish and wildlife service, national park service, bureau of indian affairs and bureau of reclamation are that your of ocean management covers -- of his water generally past three miles offshore except for the gulf of mexico out to the territorial limits. over its 1.76 billion acres. i know that's a lot to be responsible for, but in the part that i'm responsible for which is the state of wyoming we are officially back in recession with only four other states. it's because in large part, i would argue, othe by the policif the department of the interior, especially with regard to the poll moratorium and the rules on blm lands and oil and gas management. and the rules are putting people

out of work. that are railroad locomotives sitting idle in my state for the first time i can ever remember just parked. hundreds of them. in fact, nationwide i asked someone with the union pacific railroad this question, and she told me that you and pacific railroad has 150,000 locomotives parked with nothing to all in the nation right now. that is the extent of the slowdown that agencies such as yours have put on this economy. we are unable to produce the wealth of this country and a way that can emphasize the importance of having clean, reliable, redundant energy and concentrate our time on making it even cleaner all the time.

now, of course, a lot of that energy comes from land managed by the department of the interior, more than 40% of the coal produced in america is produced on federal land. of course, the vast majority of that is in my state of wyoming. wyoming also produces a large share of the natural gas and oil that's produced from federal lands along with production in new mexico and the gulf of mexico. cell our energy industry is facing huge challenges right now. so you can expect my questioning to focus on how the department of the interior intends to respond to this situation. the recession, the lack of jobs, our inability to effectively produce the wealth this nation holds. also i'm interested in hearing about management of the national park system for the centennial and updates on management of

wildlife and i look forward to your testimony, secretary. thank you, mr. chairman. i yield back spent thank you. we will now turn i think mr. sublime. >> thank you very much, mr. chairman and secretary, welcome. and thank you for your service to our country. many of the questions i have for secretary our local in nature and there is in programs that the department finds in the northern mariana. there are two concerns i have that is larger and so let me just make that my focus right out and i will try to be brief. the relationship between the united states and republic is based on a -- a strategist under the mystery of ronald reagan. today with expansion of china, reagan's foresight and assuring it would be an ally of the other states is more clear than ever. the mariana islands and guam are

links in a chain of islands that form a strategic perimeter to the east of china. china understands how important islands can be. they are right now china is creating islands which were nonexistent before. i'm very glad to see the department of interior budget proposal to cement the relationship between the united states and island nation of palau. there's an agreement negotiated by the united states and palau in 2010 to extend the reagan era compact for 15 years. the department says legislation we sent up to congress to make it happen. i think we do need to approve the compact. and this congress with the aggressive assistance of this administration. in fact, i have legislation introduced and referred to this committee for that purpose. so for the respect i hope you can find time to schedule a hearing on h.r. 4531, because we need to get on a strong

defensive foundation and the pacific created by president reagan. china is not sitting back and doing nothing and neither should we. on the other issue concerning, i started this committee held a hearing featuring this committee held hearings featuring of represented at the treasury department on the obama administration's assessment of the puerto rico debt crisis. it was the third formal legislative action taken by this committee since speaker paul ryan's public pronouncement instructing house committee jurisdiction to come up with of responsible solution to the fiscal economic and demographic crisis in puerto rico by marc march 31, 2016. on february 4, ranking member grijalva a judiciary committee member ranking member john conyers wrote to the committee, chairman bob goodlatte to request we begin discussion to address puerto rico's fiscal crisis.

while i will still await a response, time is fast running out if we're to meet the speakers deadline as well as avoid what treasure is warning could be a humanitarian crisis on the island of puerto rico. thank you, mr. chairman, and i yield back my time. >> thank you. with the close of the opening statements we are not been able to your testimony from the secretary of the department of the interior, a company here by deputy secretary connor i believe, and the secretary of policy management and budget, ms. sorry. so we thank you for coming here, take your time to be with us. your entire written testimony appears in the record so i would like to turn to you for an oral presentation or you can do before. you know how the lights were. the time as yours. >> chairman bishop, ranking member grijalva, and of the committee thank you for the opportunity to discuss the department fiscal year 17 budget request. i'd like to take a moment to mention the incident at the wildlife refuge in oregon.

through tremendous patience and professionalism the fbi with support from state and local law enforcement and did -- into the occupation as quickly as safe as possible after more than 40 days. it was incredibly disruptive and distressing for our employees, their families and the community. i'm proud of our doi law enforcement personnel who supported the response until give our employees safe. we continue to cooperate with doj, the fbi and others as investigations move forward and we remain committed to working with local, commuters on the management of public lands. interiors fiscal year 17 budget request is $13.4 billion. half a a percent above 2016 levels. the application of science and innovation and balanced which it. it gives us the tools to up communities of strength and resilience in the face of climate change, conserve natural and cultural resources them

secure clean and sustainable water, cage the next generation with the great outdoors, promote a balanced approach to safe and responsible energy development and expand opportunities for native american communities. these areas are core to our mission and played a vital role in job creation and economic growth. the budget invests in a public lands providing $5 billion to support operation of our national parks, historic and cultural sites, wildlife refugees that have attended managing multiple use and sustained yield on our nation's public lands. it focus investment on important working landscapes at the western sage step in the arctic and proposes a 10 year $2 billion coastal climate resiliencresilienc e program to support asterisk coastal states and local governments including funding for communities in alaska to prepare for and adapt to climate change. as national park service begins its second century, the budget provides $3 billion includes a proposal to dictate significantly to reducing the deferred maintenance backlog.

it continues to safeguard sustainable and secure water supplies. we continue to engage the next generation to play come learn, serve and work outdoors with $103 million for use of engagement that includes mentoring opportunities in urban community partnerships, scholarships and job core training for rural and urban use work opportunities in the bureau. there's $20 million for every kid in the park initiative that introduces fourth-graders to their land providing education across the country and transportation support for for love income students. we continue to promote a balanced approach to sustainable energy development that maximizes the return for taxpayers with 800 million for renewable and conventional development and $42 million

increase. we are on track to meet the goals of permit and 20,000 megawatts of renewable capacity. with more than $100 million of infrastructure. offshore the logic of management and the bureau safety and environmental enforcement to strengthen the responsiveness oversight and safety of oil and gas development. onshore 20 million supports the efforts to develop a landscape level approach to oil and gas development, modernize the permitting and strengthening the inspection capacity. we are expanding educational job opportunities for the communities with $3 billion for a for affairs of a 5% increase to support the education, american indian families, public safety and building resilience to climate change. the budget change for the 1 billion-dollar investment in the education as a part of the generation and agendas and 278 million to fund contract

support costs in the cornerstone of the tribal self-determination. the budget supports the commitment to resolve the water where it did because the six rights settlement with $215 million a 5 million-dollar increase. the budget includes funding to strengthen cyber security controls across all agencies and invest in innovation with 150 millions for national hazards and 11 million-dollar increase in 5 million increase for the mapping in alaska and nationwide. funding will continue to develop with a critical satellite expected to launch in 2021. this is a smart budget that builds on the successes and strengthens partnerships to ensure the needs of today with opportunities for future generations various banks and i'm happy to take questions. >> thank you very much. we will now turn to the members and remind them we have five minutes for questions and one other thing that secretary gets

the questions and then we gear up for it and go for the defensive. be. be respectable of the time she has which means if you want to ask a question, give enough time to answer the question or don't ask in the first place and because i want to go through every one i will cut it off at five minutes. >> i may cut her off at five minutes, to back that we have mac but we have to get everyone through here. we will cut our questions short as long as she cuts her answers short. >> you can argue that one with her as time goes on to read i'm concerned about the total time. as soon as it goes to zero, that's it. unlike other traditions i'm going to start with the first questions if i coded and i will will get myself fired as well. i noted that we've received documents that were subpoenaed from the gold key mining disaster and as we review them we will await the full response but i want to address one item that's up there when you testified you said the disaster

was an accident specifically stating we do not see any deliberate intent and before we got into that, do you want to amend that statement or retract it at all? the e-mail is dated on august the seventh, 2015, that is two days after the spill. the e-mail was sent to the abandoned mine program in colorado working on the gold mine project and send an e-mail to senior leadership in the colorado state staff and with the e-mail after talking to the on scene coordinator so less than 48 hours after coming your employee in colorado talks to the official in charge and e-mails all senior leadership and basically says that epa was removing a small portion of the flood relief pressure when the map occurred. there was nothing unintentional about the actions with regards to the mine and they fully

intended to dig out of the plug-in to breach it and it was a major mistake and with a lack of engineering planning it was done on purpose. once again, if you want to do anything about that before i go on. >> the epa work was trepidation as i testified when i was before the committee and i stand behind the testimony and the conclusions of the reclamation study. >> which do not go with this document or any others and one of the most frustrating parts of why the subpoena the documents, uk 6,000 pages, not sure how much much of reactive information but this particular document we only got on the day that we actually sat a bit of the report from the committee we had to go through and figure out ourselves. this was one of the e-mails should have been there as part of the information given to us and we had to eventually subpoena more. i'm sorry, this we should have had well before the first hearing that we ever had. this should have been part of

the information given to us and it's not. your department sat on it past the hearing until we actually gave it up and and we received the document on the report, that is unacceptable. let me move on. the department is that 99% of the acquisition has been in holdings with existing parks and i doubt that, but what i would really like to know is what percentage of the total acquisitions aren't using the money that actually affect several land on a lease to the majority of the borders which should be a definition of the holdings in what percentage of income from the fund's? >> i don't have that percentage, do you have it handy? >> including the national park service is and the commission wildlife service and the refuge boundaries. >> i'm asking how many of those because we have a definition of weddings and how many of those are actually funded by the federal land on the majority of the site?

a >> that something we would have to get back on. it's bad i wish you would. what percentage is owned by the land trust that has the land and easement category? >> again that is something we will have to get back to you on to protect the land for nonprofit organizations or other stakeholders to acquire those as we await the funding and acquisition. >> that doesn't help our effort to figure out what the policy ought to be. if the definition is different, and it is from what you're saying come again we have a problem and i would like to know how many of these are going to the trust before we buy it and then how can we guarantee that we can make the recreational opportunities on the land once you get a hold of them?

in every monument coming at you knew this was coming, didn't you, you at least had somebody "-end-double-quote delegation down enough to support it. if you were doing something, i want to make it very clear, there is no one in the state administration that supports it. you can't find the legislature that supports it and you can't even find a commissioner that supports it even though the only elected navajo that we have on the county level is in that particular a particular county and she is opposed to it. the chapters that live in that area are opposed to it and i want to say that there are different standards if there is something that is done here in utah you don't have the same kind of local support that you do. you are recognized. >> thank you very much. let me start with, madame

secretary, and easy question. it was recently reported that the illegal occupation of the -- already cost taxpayers 3.3 million in the law enforcement expenditures. why while we haven't seen an official estimate of the cost incurred by fish and wildlife service, i understand that the cost will be significant particularly in the tens of millions of dollars once the restoration of the damages is complete. when can we expect a full estimate of the cost, and what can the congress do to ensure that the law breakers, not the taxpayers, they reduce cost? >> the answer we are only now just getting back into the refuge when the revenue suite has been completed and i don't have a number for you yet or timeframe but it's something we are estimating right now and

it's cost a significant amount of money. we don't know the damage to the cultural or the natural resources. >> a couple -- the goldmine madame secretary the entire protection agency is the department of interior? >> no sir it's not. >> they seem to be confused about that when you were here. since it is not in the interior department, do you have the authority to compel the documents from them? >> no sir i do not. >> and it was working at the goldmine when there were 3 million gallons of wastewater and of course this is nothing compared to the 30 million of the minds in the mines in the area that leaked almost every year, which is what the epa was trying to fix but it is worth trying to understand. is there anyone investigating what happened at the goldmine that does have the authority?

>> the epa inspector general is doing an assessment for the decisions made by the epa within that. the limitation of the review is strictly technical in nature and that was done by the bureau of reclamation. >> the climate change will continue to make it dry air. can you discuss the steps the department is taking to address the steps of climate change as it relates to the water supply is? the >> i will ask my colleague to take that question. we are taking action on different levels to try to build resiliency. with the long-term we are on the water sports program and we have

through the waters mark program developed a conservation action invested in the use opportunities and overall creative or otherwise conserved old tobacco 1 million-acre feet over the last seven years. we continue to work with the different communities in the study program to the integrated plans to evaluate the plans on the river basins to work with stakeholders and action plans and long-term. in the environmental needs and the real needs on the acclamation basin and example of the plant in addition plans in addition to colorado river those are some of the samplings of the activities. we are just looking across the board from the water supply and environmental storage conservation perspective. >> thank you.

an important tool from your perspective what do we need to ensure that remains a successful tool well into the future? >> i don't think that as many pieces of the position that have been imported as the land and water conservation fund over 40,000 projects nearly every county in the united states of america from the fields to the end holdings like some were trying to put together on the part park right now but that congress is well aware of there are willing sellers and a desire of people to have easements for access for hunting and fishing and they've been a critical part. >> the fact and the designation of the monuments whether it is other areas that are being talked about, the prerogative i would hope that that doesn't

slow down at all. >> thank you mr. president. madame secretary, regarding the proposed valuation rulemaking the royalty rate increases and the leasing moratorium that was initiated by the agency you're destroying the economy and i'm not exaggerating. they have the smallest population in the nation by far. and when half of the state is controlled by the department of the interior and the policies that you have initiated with regards to jacking up the royalty is proposed to increase them at the time when the companies are going bankrupt and railroad workers are being laid

off and cool minors are being laid off, there are coal miners jobs declining every month in 2015. and there were jobs lost every single month. in the face of the desire for the administration to literally destroy the coal oil and gas, how is it consistent with getting a fair return on the value in federal lands because no leasing means no financial return. that is my first question. >> we are blessed with many natural resources natural resources and the euros are tied tied to the worldwide commodity prices. they are tied to commodity prices and you also have a situation in a case where

natural gas has become a competitor to electricity generation. there is no question they had been an important part and will continue to be an important part of the future but the price for coal and how it interplays with natural gas and other sources of energy are based on the worldwide commodity prices. second, there is a 20 year supply under debate co. currently on public land right now. it's not been looked at for many years and we are putting a pause until -- >> i'm going to interrupt you because it doesn't allow the companies to plan. there is no limit on how long these programmatic are going to take. let me switch their actions. would you like the let the charter lacks in 2016? dot policy committee was tasked

with providing advice to you on the royalty management issues and other policies, and i know because i used to sit on that committee. and i don't think the committee met during the entirety of the president obama's administration the listening sessions that were held across the country were if you would have listened to what was said in the listening sessions, you never would have put a moratorium on coal in the first place. the policies are absolutely geared towards killing cold, limiting the production on land, banishing the revenue available from those land which hurt my state more than any other state

and the manner in which this administration has treated my state is absolutely deplorable. i love yellowstone national park and devils tower. i live next to the port and i love those spaces. that's only part of the state. the things that are being done at the national parks are fabulous and incredible and i applaud you. what's happening elsewhere which is the vast majority of the state is distracted policy destroying the state. abilities to earn an income, the population will decline again as a result of the department of interior policies. i am grossly offended by what this administration has done to my state.

>> be careful if maybe in holding. you are recognized. >> thank you mr. chairman. first madame secretary, it's good to see you again. i appreciate this year's budget request. it means compact discussion of $3 million in this year's budget proposal with budget constraints mandatory funding the impact is only a fraction approximately one fifth of what the gao estimates the jurisdictions need for providing social service for migrants.

i understand the interior budget proposal hasn't included a request for the compact assistance. in stead coming for anticipating the passage of the administration's legislative proposal which includes the appropriations through 2024. there is a specific ally and i am concerned about any lack of assistance should there be a lapse how does it deter the plan on continuing assistance? can you comment on the impact of not passing the compact will have on the u.s. leadership in the region? >> i completely agree about the importance of a long-term fix on the year by year portion of the obligation we believe that we need to step up and provide the amount. we have intimidation with the helium fund that was used for other purposes on the technology

solution i would say if we were not able to secure that we would have to provide the annual amount for the strategic very important and it's been a very important ally of the united states. if it doesn't come through on the administrative proposal, secretary, i appreciate the focus on the coral reef control among many other matters and i understand that there is an overwhelming need for funding from the technical assistance grant program. could you explain how the request of 21 million for this measure is up to the needs of the territory and expressing the grant proposal they receive annually? >> i don't have the total amount that i will say that it is a small fraction of the requested

that we receive, and having been to a lot of time with the representatives from all of the areas i would say that it is much smaller than the need to get seen and have seen in all of these places. >> as you know, we have a problem of invasive with invasive species like the brown tree snake and the coconut rhinoceros pedal and in developing the original bio security plan, it is meant to assess and provide a path forward on addressing the risk to the specific area so please elaborate on how the budget request addresses the interior role in implementing the regulations and in particular, how does the budget address the challenges of the invasive species?

>> the invasive species are an extraordinary threat and one of the best things we can do is early detection and rapid response when a species is spreading. the budget requests $1.5 million to help in the early detection and rapid response that can be particularly helpful in the pacific region region and there's also investments in the usgs to look at the emerging species to help the communities without. >> i have a minute left. once again on the impact could you discuss how the budget request is this year internally addressing some of the needed measures such as the unified metric across jurisdictions that will more accurately represent compact costs? >> as we put one-stop centers in both guam and hawaii to trace to streamline i will have to look

at the latter part of the question. we have small amounts, $30 million in the budget and the impact is $144 million on the reimbursed cost in hawaii and 163 million a year so it pales in comparison but we will get back to you on the specific question. >> thank you and i will yield back. >> thank you mr. chairman. this is the last time that we have before us. what do you say you want to increase the budget 1% is that correct? >> it is a half%. >> what is the impact of budget? >> you the >> you have the total budget for 16? it is 13.3. >> it was 18.53 billion. >> it's what was enacted. you say that it's 1% you actually have an 11% increase over last year's budget requested by this administration

the other thing the proposed rules and alaska that take away the authority to manage the patient game, the park service has done that and your agencies to search the action for the national wildlife refuge improvement act and dynamic original sponsor of that act and i know that the states to coordinate any conflicts in the refugees and alaska. now -- the department of fish and game manages the park service had also charged with managing -- read the law and you haven't done that. it makes it very clear that the state of alaska has the game on the preserved merely in the

refuge. that is the law. i suggest you get your legal because it's in the court and i've already passed that authority. you are going against the act of this congress. i suggest you do that. you don't mess with a state by regulation, of course this administration does, taking the right of the congress to pass for the state. second thing, i would like to know we have a area called up a special management area to protect significant historic cultural and scientific values. the nation wildlife resources in the natural process of systems and three of them have popped up in the state. two of them are in the mining district of 700,000 acres are satisfied with restrictions against mining.

the other one is in front of the gas line quarters so the mine can be developed. where did the research and come from and what were they based on? >> spinnaker stands for areas of environmental critical concern. >> what were they based on? they have the assessment before you or are you aware of its? we can't get gas to the right. what's the reason? what is the reason? >> [inaudible] i'm sorry, i don't know.

>> the other one i don't know how many $175 makers for habitat if you consult. >> it was done in the prior administration. >> you said recently is there any consultation with the groups along the coastal plains? >> are you talking about in the arctic national wildlife refuge? can i keep the polar bear as habitat and set aside of to set aside up to 175,000 acres. was there any consultation taking place in the organization's? >> the fish and wildlife service -- >> do you have any consultation? did you have any consultation? >> it is based on science and

work with -- >> that isn't my question. did you consult with the people directly affected and did they have the right to take those kids they cannot do it on the recommendation. >> it is located -- >> they didn't consult with the people. that is an example of this administration. >> i have some issues with regards to national park service and the bureau of land management but i will submit those later. most of my focus will be on the devastating drought that has impacted california in particular and i suspect the under-secretary will be able to answer the questions that i have. this has impacted as we all know the farm communities and workers. last year over 600,000 acres went on plan to end the drought has devastated the impact for

the accommodation of the five years and no one expects that it should control the weather. the climate is continuing to change the regulatory impact combined in those has been i think a double whammy in terms of the impact of people and during the con. this analogy from 1987 to 1992, the product of the water supply allocations were 100%, 50%, 25% and in that 20 years since that come with a numerous and the federal regulations have been imposed and dedicated in the water supplies to the various other purposes including the environment for management and limited operational capacities in the project.

there's been a significant cause for the decline of the fisheries and the result has been a stark review when we recently look at the central valley project and the excerpt of the allocations which are beginning in the ninth year on record which was in 2011. the allocations in the comparative analysis to 2011 was an 80% allocation we have 180% of normal water that year, 40% of following year in 2012, 20% in 2013, 0% in 2014 and 0% in 2015, and likely an expected zero allocation this year as well. and it is dot devastation combined with this regulatory

scheme that has been so devastating to the people i represent. it seems clear it is a central to providing the product to meet contractual obligations to mr. under-secretary, can you explain to me why even in the years since 2011, the ninth hearing and our over 100 year historical record the central valley project was only capable of its contractual obligation? for >> i can provide a general overview as to why i think that happened. we've basically been in drop the last eight years. >> we all get fat. >> we were in the drought about halfway through 2010. and mostly until about 2011. it was part of the reason why the allocation -- >> i respect your good work that

we don't have a lot of time. we had an increasing layer of requirements that reduced the water supply from 90% to 40%. that's the bottom line and i guess i felt better about it. ask the same time it had significantly decreased the rate increasing the population for the species that have declined by all measures at the lowest level that had been recorded. i'm talking about the native species. it's very clear they are not achieving their intended purpose. that is just the facts. do you belief that in 2017 your project provides the agency under the jurisdiction of the necessary tools to implement the measures that would result on the increased water liability for the species recovery? >> we are investing in both areas of reliability as well as the species recovery. the drought not just on the supply which i fully agree with

with respect to the fish and wildlife populations. there are mac tricks that have indicated in the first years of the biological opinions for the species that they were doing better and the replacement was improving during the course of time. >> i have ten seconds left. what do you think the allocation will be for the project? >> at this point in time, talking about the contractors they will probably be at zero. >> i'm sorry did you see zero? i will submit my other questions they already brought up the moratorium preventing the completion of the pending applications and in that order there've been two previous moratorium on the sales in response to the legislative action by congress with v. and

accident in 1984 into and the interior appropriations act, but in the your order you do generally cited various accessing statutes and it authorizes the similar moratorium today. what is the specific legal justification for your order? >> we will provide a solicitor's opinion if that is helpful. we went through this in detail and looked at the record that had been done in the prior year times that there had been a review of the program under the ronald reagan administration and applied the same tools congress had used a. >> we are very a pause on the program because it hasn't had a

review in 30 years. we did listening sessions around the country and contrary to what was heard before. >> for the administration marketed the natural gas production has increased by 35% from 2005 to 2013. everybody knows it's increasing that of the same time the data shows that the methane emissions have been decreasing. now in light of of that and in light of the fact that the epa is continuing its efforts to reduce the methane emissions from industry sources, why has the blm jumped into into this and is promulgating its own regulations? >> the blm oversees the tribal land only so it is a different authority than the epa. it is our responsibility to both

collect revenues on behalf of all american people and when the methane than when the methane is entered or fired, no royalty is paid on that and a second, to do the energy development in a safe and responsible way that is environmentally responsible, the rules which we have done in consultation including your own in colorado which is ahead of the game have been to bring those into alignment recognizing that natural gas is not getting taxpayers or tribes royalties that they reserved also wasting valuable energy that's in the environment. >> there are those that are saying the proposed regulation and the epa regulations overlap and even conflict. >> for the comment period so that people can talk about the conflicts that are being caused by the two agencies which looks like they haven't consulted with

each other. >> we have been consulting throughout this process in some cases we will allow an extension and then the other cases there's been adequate time. i would have to look specifically at that. we always entertained that, that we do take comments as people raise them throughout the process. we are intending to keep the efforts on track and belief or has been time to comment and i can assure you we have been consulting to make sure we are not in conflict. >> i would ask you to extend the period. because the rule would impose a new cost on the federal oil and gas production, that is going to drive out the marginal place and small players who don't have the resources to rich wrote it new techniques and equipment isn't this counterproductive to the

obama administration policies? this reduces natural gas. >> first let me say there is no war on cold. i don't think it is counterproductive for without any too collected that is allowing the resource that belongs to all to go up in smoke or to go up into the atmosphere abb that should be collected and it does cost money. i'm sure there's also money to be gained from the natural gas association. >> i want to first thank you for your commitment to the exploration to the energy on the

island. let me ask you i have some other questions and i would ask for a response but now to learn how the government works actually the government that they don't have participation on a it's a valuable use of federal grant funds and in fact several people, several of my colleagues got interested in the government and your office recognized the program that is a necessary on an ongoing basis and because there was no other source of funding the federal budget that took away from the justification

for 2016, and 2013. and the specific line item of 1.1 billion for the 16 proposals but for fiscal year 17, they dropped the reference and i am not sure what to make of that. it is troubling. i would like to receive today even though there is no specific mention in the documents, the office of affairs will continue to use technical assistance funds for 2017 at the level that the program needs and i can't speak for my colleagues that the representative from the american samoa actually wrote here asking for that commitment that we have gotten no response, so i'm going to ask today. >> we have a million dollars in the budget for the program but i

would have to check with them to provide more specifics. >> she has not responded to our letter. if she had responded, i wouldn't be asking. madame secretary, on another issue, they authorize a special resource to see if it would be feasible in a national park. there is my very first year in congress i would like to hear that it has begun a schedule and that you have the money that you need in the proposal to keep the study moving forward and on schedule. >> i don't have an answer to that. i would have to look specifically. i haven't seen whether it is specifically in the budget are contained in the national park service broadly so we will get back to you. >> we are more dedicated to

[inaudible] we had a devastating typhoon last august. life is really getting back to normal. i am hearing from constituents the park service management has been slow to clean up the damage and get the park fully open so is it because that means an extra layer of decision-making? what can we do to speed things up, madame secretary? >> we will follow up with the park service directly. i wasn't aware of that until you've just brought it up. >> thank you. and again, finally, i guess

well, not finally, the agency for affairs which the culture made last week i wasn't able to attend, i think the concept of the response to these areas is great. i really do. but i am concerned about results. i've never seen the report on what the outcome of these meetings have been. are the problems being addressed, are the governors satisfied, is the process working? i don't know. i would like to ask if the office can provide me with a report over the last seven years and what the outcomes have been and have we got we gotten the results and would that be possible? >> i would be happy to ask. i wasn't at the last meeting and we are making progress on a number of areas raised. >> thank you.

>> thank you. madame secretary, in the executive order 13132, no agency shall promulgate any regulation of federalism implications that it imposes a substantial direct compliance costs on the state and local government that isn't required by statute unless the agency in a separately identified a portion of the preamble to the regulation is to be issued in the federal register provided to the director a federalism summary impact statement. madame secretary, yes or no, did they prepare a federalism for the hydraulic fracturing rule? >> i believe we followed all of the appropriate -- >> again is a yes or that a yes or no question we have this problem each type we speak so i'm just asking did you or did you not do this? >> i'm sure we followed all of the appropriate rules. >> that you didn't because it didn't happen.

they believe there will be no financial impact to the states as a result of this from your department. >> it appears that your agency was quite wrong and they alleged that the harm from this regulation would occur and as you know a federal judge has now found that there exists a credible threat of harm in the way that it lost revenue. this was on the basis of the states claiming in their briefing in the arguments that there would be lost revenue. north dakota specified there would be a conservative estimate of loss of revenue totaling over $300 million per year. in light of the statements do you believe that your agency was correct not providing the federalism assessment? >> because this is a matter of litigation i do not think that it's appropriate for me to

comment. >> i have to say the american people are so angry at washington and they have to be this is absurd. you have passed the regulations without the law coming through congress you simply roll them out and they have negative impacts on the state in the critical time in history when it comes to the economy is in the state and the united willing to comment on the actions that you take. i will quote from this as well to make it publicly available in annual report including a karzai's description of actions taken by the agency now president obama signed the executive order 13547 to create a national ocean policy.

what steps has the department of interior and its agencies taken to implement the national ocean policy? >> the intention of the policy was to facilitate the end or agency coordination on the issues and also to work closely with the states so it's something that we integrated into the work whether we are talking about science or -- >> i want to know about the annual report have you been providing this annual report? >> that is something that i would have to talk about the quality about as the lead coordinator. >> i can give you the answer right now you have it done and you will reports even though it is required. what is interesting is this in the order order it says it shall be consistent with applicable international law including customer international law such as that requested in the law of the convention. are we a party to that convention next treats --

>> we are not a party to it. >> why does the administration failed to comply to the laws that have been an active? to comply to those that haven't been agreed to and the american people are tremendously angry at washington because we have a president and those that work with the president insist on creating their own and not complying with the law of the land even though we take the oath to faithfully execute all of the laws of the land. >> thank you. >> thank you mr. chairman and secretary for appearing before the committee today and for your service at the department of interior. i for one appreciate your work on behalf of the multi-use mandate which is inherent in the department of interior management of federal land and the role collecting the land for future generations.

this is obviously not without a challenge as we are hearing today, but it's important that we keep in mind that they belong to all americans and they are a part of the natural heritage. i want to focus on the national parks and thank you for coming to visit my district this past fall it is a remarkable national park that so many of us are home to and one of the highlights of that visit was the opportunity to hand out and every kid in the park past some of them have come by a nearby city but they don't always have the opportunity, in fact i don't think that any of them have really ever been to a national park and so i think that it's such an important initiative that you are taking especially as they seek to

engage the diverse populations it's so important for the long-term health and not the viability that the understanding of the important role the parks play. and in that i have seen some great numbers reflecting the recreational use of the parks and i want to give you a chance to simply highlight that and it was great to hear the congresswoman speak so highly of the park in the district as well >> thank you for the comments and appreciation for the national parks. we had a record of visitation last year 307 million to the national parks. this is the centennial year 2016 i'm quite confident we will see an increase on the number. it drives tremendous revenues to the local economy with billions of dollars the outdoor recreation estimates

$646 billion, a big chunk of that through national parks. the specific numbers are in the national park study. >> we will provide about as opposed to scrambling through. for the national parks and the other national parks these are big drivers and the revenue and tourism across the country. in 2015 download the national park service confirmed a record 307.2 million which was a 4.9 increase over the previous record-setting year in 2014 at 292.8 million visits. i wish we could get more of those. and within parks at more than 5 million recreation visits in 2015 and overnight stays in the country were up over 2015 so

obviously a broad recognition across the country of the unique opportunities in the national parks. but despite the support for the national park service, the budget has been decreasing. the past ten years they've had the budget decreased by 22% compromising its ability to make sure that the protection of the ability to ensure the long-term protection of this great heritage. in my own district in the historical park they had a 15% reduction in full-time staff from fiscal gear ten to 15 and a 22% reduction in the park space budget which commemorates the beginning of the american revolution there's been a 27% decrease in the staff time which is so important to fulfilling the mission of the park and the 8% reduction in the base budget so despite all that, you are giving a remarkable job and i think the visitation numbers

reflect that and i would yield back the balance of my time. >> thank you mr. chairman and secretary, you're welcome. in the 1970s, the congress passed the law and has been abused to restructure the ability to manage as a result we've seen an 80% decline harvested out of the federal forest and we have seen and an increase in the acreage destroyed by the catastrophic wildfire in the same period proving excess timber will come out one way or another so it is either carried out or burned out but it comes out. they once had room to grow fighting among others that are trying to occupy the same ground and make it susceptible and ultimately this topic. they promise to improve the environment and i think that we are entitled to ask how are they

doing environmentally these days? >> we welcome the bipartisan recommendations on the big as to how we budget for the fire and how we budget for the fuel removal and -- >> what you say that the health is improved or deteriorated over the past decade? >> and has deteriorated. >> do we need to look at the policies that are in place causing that deterioration? the >> the programs within an rss expense with the water the last seven years and yet in the last seven weeks in the sacramento delta have lost half a million acre feet of water to the pacific ocean due to the delta biological opinion. the water covers and oceans subcommittee was told last

week's hearing that none of it was used for any other purpose than for the releases. it was all the water that went to the ocean. i wonder what authority has the government to demand the conservation measures from citizens when their own government thinks nothing of squandering water on a massive scale to adjust water temperatures done in the release since last year were on this case to save one delta. >> they are not draconian in fact the partnerships -- >> it cost us half a million acre feet of water because one don't us know plus cost of the pumps and you don't call that draconian? do you understand how that sounds to the american people or the people in my region who have stretched out every job of water in their homes and they watch

their lawns die or their prized gardens all in the interest of conservation watching this kind of squandering and you don't even call that draconian? >> to get to the question about the pumps it is true we have a regulatory instruction in place because the status of the species and having said that -- >> and they are declining despite all these policies so obviously they are not working but they are causing enormous economic harm in the west. let me get onto the question on to the question about the national parks. the tourists don't go where they are welcomed into the number of stays at the national park has declined rather dramatically. yosemite in my district has changed management. this is the first day of the new management and they just announced that they are banning bottled water from the sale

anywhere in the park. how has this encouraged americans to enjoy the national parks when you are systematically removing the amenities that make the stays pleasant? >> we have no intention of removing them to make unpleasant i would say garbage has been a huge problem in the parks and this was the genesis -- >> and in fact they are replacing the bottled water with boxed water. >> how does that work in the garbage situation? when people can refill their water bottles and reuse -- >> i don't do what you're talking about. we would have to look into that. >> let me ask you one other question. we have winds over a mile long after yosemite. you have instituted in certain parts

>> answer that in the next round. beside you will never get people to come until you get dr. pepper in there. >> you are holding your own with strength and dignity in spite of the disrespectful, patronizing paternalistic bullying demeaning washington politics tone of this partisan line of questioning. i thank you for your pursuits in helping southern california to prevent a catastrophe of reseeding salt and see and to create the wetlands which is very much appreciated.

i want to get your ideas have of what we can do to further prevent the d ecay? >> we are full partners in that effort. we have to do reclamation in the research program, we collectively need to develop the appropriate restoration plan that will build on the plan served as finance. that concept of managed wetlands and a smaller see is the way we manage the issues that exist there as well as the water supply. >> i understand the desert renewable energy conservation plan is in its final stages of development and i want to thank you for the work the department

has done to see this plan to completion so that clean energy development across setting california insuring our pristine desert landscape should remain protected. i understand there are a number of acres labeled unallocated, much of which is under the salt and see. what plan is in place over the next several years? >> there are unallocated lands that have been developed. we will look into the ones that are allocated under the salt and see itself. we worked mostly with imperial county as we developed it, and we have consistency with the plan -- >> come up with a plan for those unallocated acres. my last question, certainly not least, thank you for making many significant investments in indian country from the focus to

native children and how security and family providing critical needed staff or the bureau of indian education. i look forward to discussing these in greater detail, someone from the department later this month. what are your priorities for travel policies moving forward? >> thank you for the question then your support. indian education is critically important. we have a third of our schools in poor condition, getting ourselves on a path way to replace schools which the budget begins to do, restructuring in the education and we appreciate reprogramming, the support from the house and senate to do that. looking at the whole family to address issues like suicide in indian country which is an epidemic proportion we have got to work together and we are doing that across the federal family to the white house council on american affairs, but from that initiative to

education, to law enforcement and providing opportunities. all of these are part of the budget and the significant increase of 5% in 2017. >> can you elaborate on the work to grievants suicide in native american areas? >> it is multifaceted and it is also with hhs through samson and the indian health service. whim wheat dissect the shoes of suicide in indian country so much of it ties to very deep and persistent issues and the family structure. schools are a safe place where people can come, we are looking at pilots to use schools as places for training of parents, counseling, there are a number of youth programs out there and unfortunately they are the first line of defense against suicide

that in many cases that is the safest place they can go. we are working on those programs for the pilot with pine ridge but looking at learning and taking it throughout indian country. >> i yield back the time. >> mr. thompson. >> thank you for being here. i will jump right into my questions. i am please the fish and wildlife service has recognized there was the driver behind the decline, and ensure that the final roll allows activities to continue. they are not impacting the back. it appears as if the sierra club and the centers for biological diversity intends to file suit regardless. can you provide the committee as sense of how to defend the services used for its authority? >> i would say lawsuits are not uncommon from all points in this

job. the official wildlife service has permission recognizing the primary threat is the white knows syndrome but also recognizing the importance of having a habitat that is conducive, and the rule looks at that and that is legally defensible but we have to determine that. >> will you commit to battle that if the suit is filed and not like you said, it commonly occurs versus what happened in the past which appears to be some back room deal which is a compromise, even a compromise to the endangered species act while. just want to assure you do your best, use the resources you have to defeat that effort. >> i am not familiar with the lawsuit as filed, but we regularly defend our rules and the actions we take in the fish

and wildlife service. until i look at the specifics it is hard to know. >> i look forward to staying in contact with you over the issue. part of your budget request was a 350% increase for federal land acquisition. according to the congressional research service, it deferred maintenance backlog is almost $19 billion. how much of this backlog can be attributed to lans using the land and water conservation fund? >> i don't know. we will have to get back to you. >> the department of interior agencies hurts its land, using land, does it come it -- is it part of the process committing to win an acquisition is planned and in place, is there a commitment to short or long term maintenance on that parcel? >> let me just say the

conflation of deferred maintenance i don't think is accurate. in many cases when we make acquisitions they might be for in holdings where we might reduce costs because we don't have to provide access. they may be for conservation easement across private property. there is a wide variety of uses and i don't think it is appropriate. to conflate the two. >> i want to follow up, the acquisition can ease management costs and operation costs in public land and we take a look at that as part of the acquisition process but also in terms of the backlog each use significant part, 50% of the backlog is due to transportation issues. >> i want to deal with that percentage which is significantly the amount of money we are talking about and the amount of acreage the federal government owns today and has taken off of tax rules and put into the public sector from the private sector. is there a consideration with

affordability when the decision was made. the acquisition plan of 42 acquisition projects according to the president's budget was rejected, 350% increase for federal land acquisition, whoever put the pen to paper, a consideration of affordability, but the maintenance, making sure that those lands are managed in a way that is best for the public, we see a lot of republic lands that are not today. the wild fire situation, invasive species, problems that spread beyond public lands, inappropriately acquired and for the main change and bleed into the private sector, those invasive species do not honor boundaries. is that affordability

considered? >> we take into account -- >> how much weight is put behind the affordability issue? >> there is the complicated process to prioritize. >> put it in somewhat congressional terms to make it simple. and forward it my way, i would appreciate it. >> thanks to the witnesses. madame secretary, you and your team maintain your composure and professionalism displayed difficult tone set at the outset and continued through some of the questioning, hard to have a civil discourse when you have an aggressive partisan on left at the very outset. we heard every manner of attack and in salt. i was half expecting to hear a call to arms for their local wildlife refuge but some restraint was shown and i am

grateful for that. but i can't help contrasting the low regard the american people have for this congress with the high regard they have for your agency and the national park service in particular. we are celebrating the 100th anniversary of the national park service and double from 2014 gave the park service 84% approval among western voters and this was the case in every single western state, strong majorities everywhere from wyoming to nevada, not only support your good work but they oppose these proposals the we keep hearing to give our public lands from the federal government over to the state and if we need an even more recent ratification of your work we got in the nevada caucus, none other than donald trump proposed that crazy idea. his opponents were very much pounding that tired old narrative that we need to have

our public lands over to the states, but he said he thought that would be a bad idea. i don't often quote donald trump or give him props but he said i don't like the idea because i want to keep the lands great and you don't know what the state is going to do. we have to be great stewards of the land. this is magnificent land. i will stop with a nice statement about donald trump. i found it interesting that he trounced his opponents despite taking that position. given bipartisan support we have historically had for keeping our public lands great i want to ask you how your budget addresses threats to our lands from extremists like those who recently occupied the national wildlife refuge in oregon and i think many americans want to know how you are going to ensure that the cost to the public in terms of the damage to property and desecration of sacred sites is properly compensated?

>> thank you for your comments. there is no question the safety and security of the public and our employees is paramount importance, and the situation that happened there is very frightening. we had people that had to pull their children out of school and leave town that were being followed around the neighborhoods accosted by people who did not live in their home community and you don't get over that quickly. i met with a county judge and elected county commissioners from that region and they want to get back to normal. we have a thin law-enforcement presence for the most part in the public land management agency. we will be patrolling more than they did before, and we were making sure they were kept safe

but we were gratified support received from the fbi in that standoff. i would say, the safety and security people will be of paramount importance and has to do with the budget the we have. >> what about the costs we incurred which must have been significant during the period of this siege and the damages that occurred to public property during that time. americans want to know that those that were responsible, the lawbreakers are going to reimburse us and the taxpayers are not going to pick up the tab for this joy ride these criminals took with public property. >> right now the taxpayers are picking up the tab. fortunately there are a number of people that have been indicted and i hope restitution will be a part of that but whether there is any money collected will be a long time into the future. >> could i quickly add that our budget proposal does include a proposal from fish and wildlife

to have cost recovery authority similar to the national park service and marine sanctuaries as part of the budget proposal. >> in a couple seconds i have left we continue to hear this narrative about hundreds of thousands, 500,000 acres in the west being lost to the delta smelt. that doesn't jive with my understanding of how the system is operated. would you agree with that? >> it is correct. i don't know what the assumptions are. seems more like 60,000 or 70,000. i appreciate your commitment, your application for your job in the trump administration. >> mr. benishek. >> thank you, mr. chairman, thank you, madam secretary, for being here. contrary to what mr. lamalfa said i want to be nice, i applaud the fish and wildlife service, the gray wolf in the great lakes state of wyoming.

unfortunately we are doing a lawsuit there, the judge reinstated the listing but i appreciate your agency actually delisting the species that has recovered. we just passed legislation in the house this past week to rectify what we think is a bad position by the court and affirm the position of the fish and wildlife service in that instance. there you go. i said something nice. [applause] >> i do have a question. the line of questioning. >> don't say anything nice try will take away your time. >> i think all that, we don't understand why we are acquiring more land when we have maintenance backlog of maintaining the land. that is a theme that has been

presented fairly accurately. the answer of holdings, that doesn't ring true to me, 350% increase in funding. in my district we have several national park service facilities, national picture, i am looking at some of the critical infrastructure issues that are there, mention $19 billion backlog in total. in my district for example, sleeping bear dunes, there's a $19 million backlog of maintenance with $4 million of critical systems deferred

maintenance according to this asset inventory summary. i am reading over these documents trying to figure out the solution. there is the huge backlog but i also notice too that in a note here it says the parameters used to calculate the data and report do not match the federal real property profile parameters or the federal accounting standards advisory board parameters. these are apparently the standard way the federal government evaluates land and values but they are not using this report. you know why that is the case? >> i need the specific language of what you are talking about. can you clarify this 350% increase? >> it is the number the we have

got here proposed budging for $80 million for b m l land acquisition, $44 million in permanent funding, $68 million or 350% more than $19 million enacted in fiscal year 2015. >> is a specific to b l m? >> that is the proposed budget. >> the increase for land and water conservation fund is not what you are suggesting, need to coordinate on numbers. maintenance backlog is an issue. our budget proposes methodical way of the backlog in the national park service where it is most acute, $12 billion of which about half is transportation. >> by transportation you need roads. >> paid out of the highway trust fund. >> why wouldn't you use the standard accounting techniques the rest of the federal

government used in developing these numbers? >> do you know about that? >> is this number too hi, too low? and the same numbers as anyone else. >> i'm not familiar with this. happy to get back to you on the record. >> published by the national park service. and we look for. can you do not comply with the standard way the federal government measures things, i would like to know why we are not using the standard way and how it affects the numbers, is the number too hi, too low, how can i judge what to do if we are not getting accurate numbers and you are not using the standard way the federal government reports numbers? that doesn't make sense to me.

the wolf thing for me in order to make a judgment as to how to proceed at my level we have to get standard numbers and i appreciate response in writing. >> i was so enthralled and who comes next? mr. cartwright. >> thank you, sally jewell, for appearing here today to discuss the president's 2017 budget. i would like to discuss the abandoned mine lands and power plus programs to see how to clean up these sites and provide economic development opportunities to rebuild our historic coal mining communities for the people of pennsylvania especially those in my district. the problem of abandoned mines is one we have lived with for

decades. there are 575 abandoned mines in my district alone creating 382 miles of acid drainage affecting streams. many communities in my district and across the region live with the environmental legacy of the coal industry and living communities struggling to recover from the decline of the coal industry and with coal production of lessening across the nation and major coal companies recently declaring bankruptcy and in light of the u.s. geological survey's recent revelation that coal reserves are not as abundant as we had once fought, this problem will only worsen nationally. i have introduced my own legislation to close loopholes in coal royalties program to provide more funds for clean up. i have offered amendments on the florida direct funding to the regions that need the money the most and i am the lead democrat

on a bipartisan bill to direct and extended a m l funds for cleanup projects that provide economic benefits. i know the administration has been pushing to use these a am l funds to clean up our abandoned mines and also to create jobs and i look forward to continuing to work with you toward that laudable goal. my first question, madam secretary, do you know approximately what the balance is right now and how much is expended every year as opposed to what is brought in to the fund every year. >> the total is $11 billion. while we are continuing your line of questioning we will see if we can get answers to the rest of your questions and respond for the record but there's a lot that is accumulating that we would like to work on reclamation project and recommendation of $200 million a year, and accelerated to address this

issue right now. >> i don't think this is a pop quiz. is there a scarcity of good projects, and how large is the problem, is there reason to delay funding the project? what is the total impact of these mines on public health and the environment? >> the impact is beyond measure when you look at the water quality, the sinkholes particularly in your own state which i have seen firsthand, the inability for people to develop on these landscapes because of the porous nature of the ones before, so the situation that was referenced earlier with the gold king mines bill which was not cold but was indicative of abandoned mines throughout the united states, hard rock and coal. we welcome the opportunity to

work with you on long-term solution and the money that was set aside by the coal industry put people to work addressing it right now. >> thank you, madame secretary. i yield back my time. >> thank you, mr. chairman. what can we expect the next five year plan for oil and gas sales to come out. >> we have submitted the draft plan, this spring potentially even this month will have the proposed plan which will have taken input from the draft proposed plan and 02 finalize by the end of 2016, to take additional comment on the proposed plan which will be released this spring based on comments from the original plan. >> this has drawn out a lot longer risen past five your plans. is that the case? >> i don't believe that is the

case. >> a letter on february 29th, copies of letters, aug. first 2014, march 27, 2015, april 23rd, 2015, from the atlantic offshore energy caucus requesting areas in the south atlantic and mid-atlantic be included in the five year plan. >> do you think the five year plan will mirror the t p p as far as areas available? >> there has been tremendous input we have taken since the dpp and when the proposed plan comes out you will see the answer to that question based on the input we have received. >> i appreciate the input you have taken and i hope it does. are we seeing any serious movement on permits in the south and mid-atlantic? last year this time and a couple times we had hearings and some

agencies under you about activities and have been slow. fish and wildlife service doing that, are we seeing any movement on that? >> the marine mammals the bureau of the ocean energy management works closely with. we had 13 conventional permit applications, three were withdrawn, one is being held pending additional information, one was issued but they did not use it and it expired january 11th this year, eight are under review, six of them have applications, one hasn't determined if he needs one yen and one has not begun the process so we are being responsive as requests come in. >> can you put that in writing, so i can have it for my record and ask for that quite a bit. i will shift gears a little bit,

follow the story in the wildlife refuge very closely as many americans did. when i was looking at the history of that i understand they had water rights and grazing rights within the refuge and at some point in time their access to that water was fenced off and their road access to grazing areas was blocked off. that is based on what i read in numerous sources as i was investigating that. i don't want to get into oregon's issues but are those common practices in the u.s. fish and wildlife service to block off permitted grazing rights or block off water and access? >> let me clarify. i believe you are talking about the hammond. that is completely separate from the people that occupied the refuge, those two individuals who are serving time for arson

charges on federal public land basically distanced themselves from the people who took over the refuge. >> it is all into corrected. -- interconnected with their imprisonment is what led to the occupation. let's go back to the haven'ts, they had grazing rights permitted, and atwater writes in the area. it was fenced off and grazing rights were blocked.

last week, and i think mister duncan for the tone of his questions because i do think that the secretary is really doing a good job in the interior department, something that's important for protecting our natural resources in this country. last week was great and the advocacy and local leaders were in talking to all of us who agree with that region as you know and the number one issue that is on everyone's mind is the asian car. we have 20 percent of the world's freshwater as you know the thousands of dollars tied to it about $16 billion recreation industry so protecting the delegates ecosystem that provides