March 28, 2023
Reschenthaler Grills Biden’s Interior Secretary on Green New Deal Agenda Deepening America’s Dependence on China
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Chief Deputy Whip Guy Reschenthaler (R-PA) pressed Department of Interior Secretary Deb Haaland on the Biden Administration’s failed Green New Deal policies and rush-to-green agenda deepening America’s dependence on China during a House Appropriations Subcommittee hearing.
A transcript of the exchange is below:
Reschenthaler: Madame Secretary, you were in Congress in the 116th Congress, correct?
Haaland: Yes.
Reschenthaler: And you were a supporter of the Green New Deal?
Haaland: Yes, I ran on that.
Reschenthaler: You cosponsored it.
Haaland: Yes.
Reschenthaler: You said, “I 100 percent support a Green New Deal.”
Haaland: Yes, I ran on that when I had my first campaign in Congress.
Reschenthaler: Are you aware that the Green New Deal bans fracking?
Haaland: Congressman, if I could just say...
Reschenthaler: It’s a yes or no.
Haaland: I am aware of whatever the Green New Deal had at the time, however many years ago that I signed onto it.
Reschenthaler: It does [ban fracking]. And I’ll enter the Green New Deal from the 116th Congress into the record.
Are you aware that the Green New Deal also bans clean coal?
Haaland: Thank you, Congressman.
Reschenthaler: Is that a yes?
Haaland: I don’t... Honestly, it’s 2023...
Reschenthaler: You were a cosponsor of the bill. Are you aware it bans clean coal?
Haaland: Yes, I am aware of... I’d be happy to look it up and refresh my memory on the bill. I sponsored and cosponsored a lot of bills when I was in Congress.
Reschenthaler: I can read you the bill. You also said you 100 percent support the Green New Deal.
Are you aware that the Green New Deal bans oil and gas leasing?
Haaland: Thank you, Congressman.
Reschenthaler: Is that a yes?
Haaland: If you’re telling me, and you’re reading it from there — yes.
Reschenthaler: Alright, so you would agree that the Green New Deal bans fracking, bans oil and gas leasing, and bans clean coal.
Do you still support the Green New Deal?
Haaland: Congressman, as the Secretary...
Reschenthaler: It’s a yes or no. Do you support it or not?
Haaland: Well, I'm the Secretary of the Interior now. I'm no longer a member of Congress.
Reschenthaler: So, you do still support the Green New Deal? Yes or no.
Haaland: I, in my current capacity, I don’t... I’m not...
Reschenthaler: Would you still have co-sponsored the bill in the 116th Congress had you known that it banned all this?
Haaland: I'm not sure of the question. If I co-sponsored it...
Reschenthaler: Knowing all these points, would you still have co-sponsored the bill? It's a very simple question.
Haaland: Thank you. I ran on the Green New Deal.
Reschenthaler: Thank you is your response? It's yes or no. Would you still co-sponsor it or not?
Haaland: I co-sponsored it, yes.
Reschenthaler: Okay, and you don't regret that?
Haaland: No.
Reschenthaler: And you still stand by your statement that you will 100 percent support the Green New Deal?
Haaland: As a member of Congress, yes.
Reschenthaler: Okay, I'm glad for the record we've established that.
By the way, Mr. Chairman, I'd ask unanimous consent that H.Res. 109 from the 116th be entered into the record. I would point anybody of interest to page 7 — specifically lines 18 and 21.
Alright, Madam Secretary, critical minerals. Electric vehicles and renewables are heavily dependent on critical minerals, correct?
Haaland: Yes.
Reschenthaler: China accounts for 63 percent of the world's rare Earth mining, correct?
Haaland: I don't know that particular...
Reschenthaler: Do you stipulate that China has the majority of rare earth elements or that they control the mining of rare earth elements to a great majority?
Haaland: I don’t know what the percentage of what China produces, but you can tell me that and I will say thank you.
Reschenthaler: Well, I’m telling you right now that it is 63 percent of rare earth mining.
By deductive reasoning, that would mean that electric vehicles and renewables deepen our reliance on China, correct?
Haaland: Yes, okay.
Reschenthaler: Knowing this, your department blocked critical minerals in Rapid Creek Watershed, correct?
Haaland: Okay.
Reschenthaler: They did, correct?
Halland: Okay.
Reschenthaler: I mean, it's your department and you banned critical mineral mining.
Would you also agree that your department also banned it in Northeast Minnesota?
Haaland: Are you talking about the...
Reschenthaler: Critical mineral mining in Northeast Minnesota.
Haaland: Well, we did a mineral withdrawal in the boundary waters...
Reschenthaler: So, yes. You banned it there.
Haaland: I don’t know what kind of minerals were there. I don’t think they were critical minerals.
Reschenthaler: Okay, I can tell you that there were critical minerals in Northeast Minnesota.
Haaland: Okay.
Reschenthaler: I’m the co-chair of the Critical Minerals Caucus, so I can tell you that.
Knowing that your department, under your leadership, banned the critical mineral mining in Rapid Creek Watershed and Northeast Minnesota, would you not say that those actions further deepened our reliance on China?
It’s a yes or no.
Haaland: I... No, because critical minerals can be mined in other areas of our country.
Reschenthaler: Let me get this straight.
You banned the mining of critical minerals in places like Rapid Creek Watershed, in Northeast Minnesota, where we have tons of environmental protections.
You also just told me that China is accountable for the majority of critical minerals, and before that, you told me that EVs and renewables are heavily dependent on critical minerals.
And now you're telling me that you banning critical mineral mining in the United States doesn't deepen our dependence on China? Explain that.
Halland: May I say something, Congressman?
Reschenthaler: Of course.
Haaland: Thank you very much. Since January 2021, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) has approved 20 new mines or mine modifications or expansions.
Reschenthaler: I'm talking specifically about critical mineral mining, and you just told me that your department banned critical mineral mining in Rapid Creek Watershed in Northeast Minnesota.
You also told me that we're heavily dependent on China.
Would your actions not make us more heavily dependent on China?
It's a yes or no.
Haaland: Since 2021, the BLM has approved 20 new mines or mine modifications or expansions.
Reschenthaler: I’m talking about critical mineral mining — not just any mines.
Haaland: We’ve... we’re approving minerals... we're approving mines.
Reschenthaler: Any reasonable person would look at the actions you have taken and concede that your actions have made us further dependent on China, particularly with rare earth elements.