I have renewed faith that the Chesapeake Bay restoration effort under the Administration of President Obama will remain a Federal priority that deserves renewed attention and resources.

The Federal partnership in the Chesapeake Bay has been extremely valuable for promoting the appropriate type of remedial action.

Let me just concur with your comments, particularly on the California waiver.

The Federal partnership requires leadership, requires strategies based upon facts and science.

We need leadership. I know that you have indicated you planned to visit the Bay with me.

We need to concentrate on reducing the nutrient levels that are suffocating the Bay.

I ask for your commitment to find ways in which EPA can play a constructive role in reducing the number of children in our Country that have been exposed to lead.

I would just like to have your assurance that the privatization initiatives are going to be reviewed very carefully.

I applaud the Chairman and Ranking Member for continually reminding all of us in the Senate about our responsibilities to balance the budget.

I think we could be more aggressive in trying to move forward.

I opposed the privatization initiative of the Bush administration, the OMB Revised A-76 Circular.

I particularly want to just underscore the challenge you're going to have in the Middle East between the Israelis and the Palestinians.

That's one of the highest priorities for us, to evaluate how we can modernize the Helsinki Commission and the OSCE process.

Thank you for being willing to do this and to your entire family. I know it was a difficult decision.

I think you are a high-altitude, high-achieving guy, and I think you will absolutely lead our Department of Education.

Could you work with us to identify those things where it is too many good-old micro line-item programs?

One week from now, we will be heading to the platform for the inauguration of President-elect Obama.

I want you to know, Senator Enzi really helped me be able to work on a bipartisan basis to be able to do that.