I know that President-elect Obama is going to make a priority, I think, out of cleaning up hazardous waste sites.

I look forward to supporting your confirmation on the Senate floor when that occurs.

Again, I want to emphasize that by doing so, then we will send a message to other workers in other parts of the country that as we clean up places like Hanford, we work in Ohio and Oklahoma and South Carolina, Nevada, that those promises will be kept to those people there who worked so diligently.

I hear good things about you. I think you are on a road to a successful confirmation.

It is customary, however, for the Senate to confirm noncontroversial cabinet nominations at the beginning of a new Administration by unanimous consent without first referring them to committee.

Dr. Chu's nomination comes at a pivotal time in the Department's history.

I would like a commitment from you that once you are confirmed, that you take a close look at these three issues, ongoing cleanup, worker health, and property damage claims.

I wanted to receive assurances from you that you will continue to focus on that commitment and make sure those resources are forthcoming.

Now, my understanding, when we talk about whether we list it under RCRA, is that we are dealing with hazardous substances here.

America's dependence on oil leaves us vulnerable to energy supply disruptions and to price volatility.

Global warming is a threat multiplier for instability and will fuel political turmoil.

Congress should look at that.

I want to commit, like Senator Alexander did, to make sure that the victims are made whole on this.

So what eventually is going to happen with these substances? What is your plan you have right now to deal with these thousands and thousands of pounds of toxic substances and hazardous substances?

I hope we look at the full costs here in terms of all of our energy sources.

I think it is tremendously important that when we look at the cost of coal or renewable energy or nuclear we look at the full costs that are out there.

In 2009, Senator Jeff Bingaman worked to include the Rio Grande Pueblos Irrigation Infrastructure Act (RGPIIA) in the Omnibus Public Lands package that President Obama signed into law.

The era of cheap oil is over, and fossil fuels are unsustainable.