Today, a delegation of Colorado-based geoscience professionals, including SME staff, met with senior legislative staff of Colorado Senator Michael Bennett in Washington, D.C. to discuss the need for increased investment in federal research and development in earth sciences. Senator Bennett has floated the idea of creating a Center for Mining Innovation in the Denver area. SME participated in initial meetings with Senator Bennet's staff and representatives of Colorado-based mining companies to discuss the Senator's ideas for such a Center.
Later today I met with legislative Director for Rep Doug Lamborn, chair of the House subcommittee on Energy and Mineral Resources, and set about a strategy to force the SEC to finally act of SME's petition for rulemaking on Industry Guide 7 that we filed in October of 2012. Mr. Lamborn committed to working with the chair of the House Financial Services Committee, Rep Jeb Hensarling (R-TX) to send a joint letter to the SEC requesting action on SME's petition. the Financial Services Committee has jurisdiction over certain issues with the SEC.
U.S. Rep. Doug Lamborn (R-CO).
As with all my trips to Washington, D.C. on behalf of SME, my job is to reinforce to decision-makers on Capitol Hill and to stakeholders in the area that SME is a non-partisan, fact-based, technical mining resource that gives these groups the tools they need to make informed decisions on issues that affect our industry. Also, with more than 15,000 members in 102 countries, SME has an international base that makes it one of the most influential organizations in the mining industry.