Ken Salazar Quotes

“It's a new day at the Department of Interior, and we need to examine what makes the most sense for the American people. These are American resources and American treasures, and we need to make sure we're providing the right kind of protection, oversight and stewardship of these resources for the American people.”

— Ken Salazar

“The way Americans most understand the history of Latinos in this country, a lot of it is being told now through the lens of what's happening with the immigration debate. While that's an important debate that has security and moral implications, in my view, there's also a huge history of Latinos in the United States that's never been told.”

— Ken Salazar

“Growing up in a very rural and remote area in Colorado's San Luis Valley - one of the poorest counties in the United States - essentially created the framework of values from which I operate. I stand up for the little guy. I fight discrimination at all levels. I fight for an inclusive America.”

— Ken Salazar

“Each and every Notary Public plays a crucial role in combating identity theft. They serve as our front line of defense and the public is safer because of the job they do.”

— Ken Salazar

“For some in Washington, it's become sport to pick on the federal workforce. I think they do so unjustly. The very foundation of a stable America is having a government that functions well. Many countries have dysfunctional governments, because they don't have a good government workforce.”

— Ken Salazar

“Barack Obama was not born into wealth or privilege, yet today his is president of these United States of America. Barack Obama has lived the American Dream. He has walked in our shoes.”

— Ken Salazar

“I work hard and I have a standard of excellence - and I expect everyone at the Interior Department to meet that same standard. I delegate a lot. I might appear to be doing a lot of different things, but there's a strong team helping me. I believe we're going to have the strongest team of any agency in the Obama administration.”

— Ken Salazar

“I don't believe that the American dream should be reserved for those who are born into the elite or somehow have been given an advantage over others. My growing-up experience is probably the most important thing that guides my priorities and my work today.”

— Ken Salazar

“Liability does apply with respect to the amount of the oil spill.”

— Ken Salazar

“I think the future for solar energy is bright.”

— Ken Salazar

“People who are running for office mislead the American people by saying that there's a three-point plan or a bumper sticker kind of way of bringing down gasoline prices. The fact of the matter is that nobody can do that. The price of oil is set on the global economy. People who have looked at this closely and hard know that's the case.”

— Ken Salazar

“Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. is one of my personal heroes.”

— Ken Salazar

“Nothing in life and nothing that we do is risk-free.”

— Ken Salazar

On the Native American front, we have turned a new page in the 400-year history of the interface between the American settlers of this country and the nation's first Americans. That's included a new relationship where the sovereignty of tribes is in fact recognized.

— Ken Salazar

“Shale gas has provided the United States the opportunity to have 100 years of supply that is domestically produced. If we are going to develop natural gas from shale, it has to be done in a safe and responsible manner.”

— Ken Salazar

My family has spent 400 years farming on the banks of the Rio Grande. We know the value of hard work, love of the community, love for water and land.

— Ken Salazar

“Hydraulic fracking is very much a necessary part of the future of natural gas.”

— Ken Salazar

“We are talking about institutionalizing a program on solar development that will outlast the Obama administration.”

— Ken Salazar

Meth is a major problem not only in our urban areas, but in most of the rural areas of Colorado. No region has been immune from this scourge and it is getting larger.

— Ken Salazar

“President Obama and our all-of-the-above energy strategy is the real deal. We are proud of the fact that we are importing less oil than at any time in modern history, and it has been because of the president's vision and courage.”

— Ken Salazar

“I don't think anyone can speculate what will happen with respect to oil prices and gas prices because they are set on the global economy.”

— Ken Salazar

“While it is important to maintain a balanced approach to solving our nation's energy problems, we must commit ourselves to recognize some areas as 'off limits,' and the Artic National Wildlife Reserve is a national symbol of that commitment.”

— Ken Salazar

“Americans pay up to 1,000 percent more to fill their prescriptions than consumers in other countries - that is an alarming statistic.”

— Ken Salazar

I think Gov. Romney and Congressman Ryan are living in a fairly tale land on their energy policy.

— Ken Salazar

I'm proud that Colorado delivered a victory to Barack Obama in 2008 and we will do so again in 2012.

— Ken Salazar

“In the West, you take people at their word.”

— Ken Salazar

“In my time in the U.S. Senate, I tried to craft an energy policy ... I will be part of President Obama's efforts to achieve energy independence and enhance the landscape. I am also part of his reform agenda.”

— Ken Salazar

“Frankly that's what makes such a big difference between President Obama on one hand and Mitt Romney on the other. Gov. Romney has not walked in those shoes of the ordinary Americans and frankly I don't think he has the capacity to quite understand the struggle that the 98 percent of Americans go through every single day.”

— Ken Salazar

“I want all the interested parties to come together and develop a solution that provides additional water and helps the lower Arkansas River communities thrive again.”

— Ken Salazar

“Too often in Washington special interests urge us to fight one another just because we belong to different parties. It is time for this to stop and for Washington to focus on what needs to be done.”

— Ken Salazar

“I would say to everybody that hydraulic fracking is safe,”

— Ken Salazar

With leading research universities, the National Renewable Energy Laboratory and private companies like Blue Sun working on developing alternative fuels, Colorado is poised to become an international leader in clean energy.

— Ken Salazar

“Our country has suffered from an on-again, off-again energy policy that has failed to get us to energy independence. As President Obama has said, we need a comprehensive energy plan for the country that includes conventional resources like oil and gas, but that also takes advantage of wind, solar, biomass, geothermal, and other renewable resources.”

— Ken Salazar