I very much hope to be in this Committee, because it is such an important committee to the Nation and to New Mexico.

We may not be able to do it in one year, but boy, maybe we can do it in four years and have a specific plan to do that.

So, we will have a balanced approach to the development of our natural resources.

I think is really critical.

I really had the feeling that this one clearly does.

We need to look specifically at how we really weigh in, in a big way to remedy the situation that we have right now.

For far too long, the Native American communities... have been left far behind.

I see my time has expired. Thank you again for your service and I look forward to working with you as we continue to make the case to the American people with three or four or maybe even just two quick bullet points about why we have to be…

I think it is great that President-elect Obama is proceeding and has put your nomination forward, a career person who has worked in this area.

President Obama has bold plans for addressing the major environmental issues of this century.

I hope you will be very aggressive about telling us where you think there are the holes, the loopholes in the law that need to be filled.

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

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

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.

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…

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

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.