Ur first major policy address here at heritage and we look forward to hearing from you. Zinke was sworn in as the 52nd secretary in january of this year. Had one of the records on regulatory relief, forest management, responsible Energy Development and smart management of federal lands. Prior to assuming his current job am a he served in the u. S. House of representatives. Before that in the Montana State senate. In 23 years as a u. S. Navy seal officer. He grew up Near Glacier National Park where he delivered developed a lifelong appreciation for conserving americas Natural Beauty while honoring Teddy Roosevelts vision of multiple use of our public lands. He is considered has consistently in the congress and now as secretary led efforts to renew the land and Water Conservation fund. Also has been a firm advocate for our nations sportsmen to gain access to public lands through the score act and the share act. He has been involved in a host of other activities which i am sure he will share with us. Going back further, 1980 5 am a he was commissioned as an officer in the u. S. Navy, earned his trident as a navy seal, where he served with distinction until he retired in 2008. Several tours, including acting as deputy and acting commander of joint special forces in iraq, o tours as and two tours and has an agency with more than 70,000 employees who are stewards for 20 of our nations lands, including national parks, monuments, wildlife refuges, and other hub would land. Is department oversees and responsible for the depomed of conventional and Renewable Energy supplies on public land and public water. He is the largest supplier and manager of water in the 17 western states. He upholds trust 567onsibilities for the federally recognized American Indian tribes and alaska natives. Degree in geology from the university of oregon and a masters degree in business and finance. It is my great pleasure to ask ke to share his views, his policy views with us. Mr. Secretary. [applause] mr. Zinke thank you for being a champion of conservative values and also for hiring my good friend kelly simpson. Before we get started i would like to address in the words of general towards cough, a little on travel. I want to read a statement for you so you have it. I believe taxpayers absolutely have the right to know official travel costs. It is common sense. At the department we make those documents and my travel schedule available to everyone. Using tax dollars wisely and ethically is our greatest responsibility and is at the heart of good government. There are times, however, we have to utilize Charter Services because we often travel in areas that are under circumstances that we do not have other flight options. I fly coach. Since being sworn in, i have used a charter on three occasions. The first occasion was being invited on a bipartisan congressional delegation by the Senate Energy and Natural Resources committee in the arctic circle. Know, the alaskan senator, Lisa Murkowski is the chair and i find her company and her invitation to be consistent with the department of interiors policy. Night two, flying late at , ithe great state of montana met the great governor of the great state of montana. And to speak at the western Governors Association the next morning. Number three, traveling to and between the islands of the u. S. Virgin islands. As you are aware, interior has the federal oversight of the territories from the Virgin Islands to allow pilau. I was invited and accepted the invitation to be one part of their 100th anniversary of the transition of power. I was privileged to attend the ceremonies with the governor and Prime Minister of denmark. Witho took military air secretary perdue. He and i could go out and meet with the wildfire land cruise in in montana. Rews we also lost a firefighter fighting those fires. Military air with the president and the vice president. When asked by invitation. Flying ono continue the benefit and on official duties. All this trouble was done only after determined by multiple career professionals at the commercialthat no options existed to meet the promulgated schedule. As importantly, the flights were booked after extensive due from the law and ethics division. Every time i travel i submit the travel plan to the Ethics Department that evaluates it line by line to make sure i am above the law and i follow the law. Where always continuing to look at ways to lower costs at the department and also as you will find out, through increased revenues. I will always be honest and upfront about my travel. You can follow me on twitter. If you followed me on twitter, you knew that i traveled by suburban from valley forge is morning. This morning. Now with that, lets go to why we are here. Energy. Nation stands today, we are at an energy crossroads. There are two visions for our future and energy. One side believes we should retreat into a fortress of regulation and read a red tape where foreign nations take the lead while america drowned itself and in process and procedure. This is not the vision of President Trump. Going forward them a our participation in the Global Energy market will protect and defend american sovereignty and not surrender it. By decisions will be guided anyoneg and not kneel to. America is exceptional. This administration and the president believe in American Energy dominance and Energy Dominance is different that energy independence. Our goal is an america that is the strongest Energy Superpower this world has ever known. Inherited ands energy dependent country from previous generations. In recent years, we have struggled to be selfsufficient in producing lowcost, abundant and reliable energy. But a new era is donning. With american leadership, innovation, and good ideas, our pass energyll dominance onto our children and grandchildren. Under President Trump, we will put america first. We will put Americas Energy first. As the chief steward of our public lands, my job is to make sure that all americans have a voice. That all americans have a voice. And i hear that voice loud and clear. Our government must restore the promise of our Energy Economy for a stronger, more secure america. I can assure you today, the war on a minute on American Energy is over. Were bringing back the American Dream to every family, we have to restore trust in our federal government and you may be wondering why the secretary of interior is here speaking today about energy. Interiors portfolio is vast. It stretches 12 or 10 time zones pilauhe Virgin Islands to and includes 1 5 of our nations territories. Programs include oil, gas, coal, hydroelectric, wind, solar, geothermal by and biomass. With this extensive portfolio we have a responsibility to be fair and transparent with our jobcreating energy sector, that that is not how our government has operated in the last eight years. Often sat on the desk of regulators in washington for months and months, in some cases, years. Meanwhile, local economies suffered as a focus on bureaucracy over prosperity delete jobs and prevented wealth that American Energy promised to bring. With President Trump in office, we are looking at how we can be a Better Business partner with industry and we are finding ways to get to yes without sacrificing our stewardship responsibilities. One of our biggest problems with permitting process has been how many bureaus and agencies had to independently evaluate off before a project was approved. The system was broke. Let me give you an example. If you have a trout and a salmon in the same stream and upstream, you have a m or a lot, and lock. Ve a dam or by onemon is managed department and the other is managed by interior. Ipstream, the water flow a is manageds i is managed by the army corps of engineers. Each of these entities have rate people but each of them oftentimes have their biological opinion. Are way to fix this problem by changing the structure and learning how to be joined. Joint. Our government needs to the have to make Work Together. Our bureaus in the interior and brother and sister agencies need to work better and be responsive to the people we serve and that is america. This is how we fight fires in the west. This is how the military operates. It is nothing new. It is a straightforward and this is how were going to get to yes. With our joint model we can show that the government can Work Together and we can incorporate state and tribal interests at the beginning of the process to improve collaboration, consultation, and coordination. I have long believed our government makes too many top and decisions about giving the people on the ground and local communities a greater voice. That stops with this administration. Were streamlining the process to make sure it is fair, consistent, and not arbitrary while protecting the safety of our American Workers are protecting our public lands, and making sure we protect the values that have made America Great. The Trump Administration will not streamline at the expense of security. At the not streamline expense of the environment. We will not streamline at the expense of safety. We will streamline at the expense of getting the job done as america expect says to do. Expects us to do. We are committed to partnership with industry to expand responsible development while holding our Industry Partners absolutely accountable. The strict safety and environment two strict safety safety andt environmental standards. Regulations should be grounded on science and careful analysis and not agenda and all it ideology. That is why this administration is reducing punitive regulations that have stagnated our economy and we are cutting the regulatory agenda by over 50 . This is a national imperative. Why is Energy Important in the first place . With me it is three reasons. First is the environment. As many of you know, i am a great admirer of teddy roosevelt. I think he had it right. I do not believe our public lands should be sold or transferred. I do believe our public lands andfor the benefit enjoyment of the people and it is better to produce energy here under reasonable regulations then watch it produce get produced with none. I have been to a lot of countries in my life. If you want to watch how energy is produced without regulation, and the consequences that has, i invite you to take a tour with me to the middle east and africa. I can assure you, america leads the world in innovation, and regulation to make sure our energy is done right. We are the model for the world. The second is National Security. Onricas strength relies American Energy. I do not want to see us ever be held hostage to a foreign country to heat our homes and to power this nation. Note, i do not want to ever see your children have to fight overseas for a commodity we have here. I have been to battle. Never want your children to see what i have seen. Here,can produce energy with responsibility, that is the better course. And frankly, as a former military officer, i am concerned , i am concerned about iran. Im am concerned about their development of Ballistic Missiles and nuclear capability. Iran is a grave threat. It is better to have options to address iran economically and not just militarily. Rich nomic relive leverage of being able to supplant every drop of crude. Hat iran produces is leverage and Energy Dominance is part of that. Finally, american prosperity. Jobs matter. There is a social cost of not having a job. Hardworking americans deserve theyve a future, and deserve to have an opportunity to obtain the American Dream. When america ever moves our resources through moratoriums political is not the class of washington that suffers. It is the hardworking men and women who get laid off from ir jobs, it is coming communities that fall into despair and his nurses and opportunities diminish for all americans. Trillions of dollars of american wealth and millions of jobs have been moved overseas as our politicians here at home have turned their back on americas ential for Energy Donovan dominance. It is time to stop the bleeding. It is time to put america first. Under President Trump, American Energy, mind and produced by american hands will make America Great again. American Energy Dominance requires and all of the above energy strategy. All the above. It is not just oil and gas and coal. Innovation, advances in technology, energy can be the benefit of all of us. One of the hardest leases head in the last administration hitch in the last administration was in West Virginia. Eight months ago, West Virginia had lost hope. Mines were closing, jobs were being ripped away. Under this administration, West Virginia is roaring back. We celebrated the opening of the that brought back Economic Security and hope. And the First Quarter of 2017, West Virginia was second in the nation in gdp. Out west, local communities like my home state of montana, [inaudible] railroad andom a timber town. If you want to see small towns get stripped, no jobs, the elderly, kids cannot come home, it affects a lot of small communities. I can tell you the on miningions war and timber and the ability for a local community, they have opportunity and to use our that isands for wealth, over. One of my first actions to ourrse the ban on coal on public land. Mining was up 20 nationally in the First Quarter. Gdp now stands at 3. 1 this quarter. 3. 1 this quarter. We are also making progress on oil and gas. The Trump Administration has offered more onshore oil and gas leases in the First Six Months of 2017 than the Previous Administration did in all of 2016. We have held the First Successful sale in the cook inlet and the gulf of mexico, we are going to announce the oil and gas leases will be greatly expanded. Administrations, 94 of our offshore was made offlimits. This includes our resources in the great state of alaska. Under President Trumps leadership, there is we have initiated a fiveyear plan to open up more areas for oil and gas expiration and development and the road to Energy Dominance goes through the great state of alaska. Earlier this year, we had our First Successful bid in the cook inlet in over 20 years. It was one third of alaska workforce employed by the oil and gas industry, shutting off resource and development has been devastating. I reviewed policies on development in the National Petroleum reserve in alaska as well as in the section of the north slope that we set for congress to evaluate. Set aside for congress to evaluate. Anddoing seismic operations looking at doing the inventory of what this nation has is a responsibility of the department of interior. I take it seriously. It seriously to make sure we have a proper balance between conservation and using our public lands wisely. Alaska,ore i went to and signing my order, i met with the mayor of the Alaska North Slope and he expressed to me and no Uncertain Terms how positive this administration has been on and theve alaskans population. The hlast and last lasthe administration turned their back on these proud people. They had the right to make their own decisions. Nobody loves our public lands more than i. Montana, on the foothills of Glacier National park. That is why i am glad to see advances in technology and they are opening up new possibilities that did not exist before. Are smaller in footprint. Directional drilling and Gps Technology are allowing us to do things that we never thought was possible. I am a former geologist. I say former because when i went to school, i was taught we were going to be out of oil in 2003. There was a coil peak oil. It is not possible with fracking. We have better computing. We have better precision. We can do it right. Improveeen fracking with higher pressures and temperatures are producing Greater Energy yield and the process is safer. In many cases, within two or feet,inches at 10,000 with the horizontal of miles. I have said time and time again, this administration does not pick winners and losers. We do not. Excitingso looked at technologies and see progress being made in renewables and cleaner energy like wind, solar, and hydropower and those are equally important, but they also marketdriven and at a cost point where they are competitive. Some of that is investing in more research and development. We are close to Breakthrough Technology and battery stores but until we are, we have to use the resources we have. Be thisoing to probably year number one in oil and gas. Be ayear, we will likely next exporter in liquid natural gas. That is the first time in 60 years. Our nation will continue, i am convinced, to increase market share, and we have a great opportunity to fuel the world. And stewardship of our public lands i take seriously. I understand our public lands are our greatest treasures. We should manage them for the betterment and enjoyment of the people. If you have been to Yellowstone National park, that is what it says in the arch. For the benefit and enjoyment of the people. This means that energy this means Energy Development and hunting and fishing and habitat and protection of other forms of Outdoor Recreation are all part of conservation. The american conservation ethic is using best science and best practices, and using the land for the greatest good for the greatest number in the long run. That is the american conservation ethic. One should remember it funds things like the Water Conservation fund. If you go back to 2008, interior was the number two revenue generator and the government behind our friends at the irs. About 18 we produced offshore year just in oil and gas. It was a banner year. Last year we produced 2. 6 billion a year. That is a drop of 15 billion a year of revenue. When i look at our national billionetween 11. 5 behind in maintenance and repair. Our wildlife systems about 3 billion behind in needed maintenance and repair. On scale, a loss of 15 billion in revenue would have made up an entire backlog of maintenance and given us a significant opportunity to reinvest and recapitalize in a lot of areas we need in one year. That is the scale of what occurred. That is the consequence of putting 94 of our offshore holdings offlimits, and even making the National Petroleum reserve unavailable for development. I think a renewed focus on working together with industry can and should benefit our parks and public lands as we address how as a nation to fund our parks. As a military officer, ill we thought our government has two principal responsibilities. One is to fund the military. The other is to fund our national parks. Not ational parks are republican or democrat or independent issue. They are a national and american issue. Of our support. So our solemn obligation, my solemn obligation as secretary of interior, is to take better care of those treasures and maintain them as a great nation should. Ie american comeback story think has waited too long to be written. With President Trump in office, our country is winning again. Energy, quite frankly, is driving the bus. I think we will stand shoulder to shoulder as united american people, and we should be proud that our country was given the resources and energy we have, so we should be proud that our Energy Industry is innovative as they are. With stronger infrastructure and a new approach to Energy Development, i think jobs are returning to this country and america truly will be great again. Thank you, and god bless. [applause] thank you mr. Secretary. We will post todays program on the heritage webpage for future reference. We are adjourned. [captioning performed by the national captioning institute, which is responsible for its caption content and accuracy. Visit ncicap. Org] [captions Copyright National cable satellite corp. 2017] just come alive, your calls and comments on washington journal. Then a Senate Hearing on National Security threats. And then, at 2 30 p. M. , live coverage of the march for Racial Justice being held on the national mall. Churchill states when he came to power in may, 1940. Daytically, from his first in office, he he begged Franklin Roosevelt for help in staving off hitlers the president was aware of the isolationist mood in the country and he was cautious. He did not want to get involved in the war if he could help it. Besides, most people in washington including him, were convinced that britain would be easily defeated. How could it possibly survive when no other european country had . Albright. Ne and on sunday, on indepth, lynn olson will be our guest. Her books include freedoms daughters, and last hope i went. Last hope island. Watch indepth with lynn olson, sunday, live from noon until 3 00 p. M. Eastern on book tv on cspan2. This morning, on washington journal, dorcas davis talks about todays march for Racial Justice. Ofn daniel stein, president the federation for American Immigration reform, talks about the cost of illegal immigration. And later, catherine miles looks at Nuclear Plant safety. And we will take your calls. You can join the conversation on facebook and twitter. Washington journal is next. Host good morning. Saturday, september 30, 2017. President trump has excepted health and Human Services secretary tom prices resignation comment and criticism from President Trump use for his use of private airplanes. Tom price racked up nearly 1 million in the flight costs for private and military aircraft, choosing expensive private travel to conduct official government business instead of cheaper commercial rates when they were available