Looks like members of a couple of the House Natural Resources Committee’s subcommittees will be enjoying a sunny time in Honolulu next month. The official reason for the trip was announced today, but word has been bubbling around the committee’s offices for several days.
Here’s the official description of the purpose of the trip, according to the Field Hearing Notice. There will be two official hearings, with the first on Nov. 9:
“The Subcommittee on Insular Affairs, Oceans and Wildlife in conjunction with the Subcommittee on Energy and Mineral Resources have scheduled a joint field hearing for the morning of November 9, 2009, in Honolulu, Hawaii. The hearing will focus on the plans of the Insular Areas for expenditure of federal grants made available to them under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) and other statutes for renewable energy development projects and energy efficiency improvements.”
The second hearing will be held the following day:
“The Subcommittee on Insular Affairs, Oceans and Wildlife has scheduled a field hearing for the morning of November 10, 2009, in Honolulu, Hawaii, to receive testimony relative to the implementation of the recently completed management plan for the Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument.”
Rep. Madeline Z. Bordallo, Democrat from Guam, is chairman of the insular subcommittee, while Rep. Jim Costa, D-CA, is chairman of the energy and mineral subcommittee. Rep. Nick Rahal of West Virginia is chairman of the overall committee.
Rep. Doc Hastings, R-WA, has advised GOP members of the committee not to participate in this junket masquerading as official business.
Maybe the Democrats are going to Honolulu to search for all those jobs President Obama promised would be created by the $787 billion economic stimulus package, but which haven’t yet materialized anywhere else.
