We understand that our goal is to have absolutely no contaminates reaching the Columbia River.

Obviously if they can continue a case for now that's been more than a decade and continue to just make great fees off of the Department of Energy then why not continue that?

I urge my colleagues to swiftly confirm him as the next Deputy Secretary of Housing and Urban Development.

Will the 2 billion in added stimulus funds help expedite the goal of the ground water contamination?

The B reactor has finally been designated as a national historical monument.

I don't think there could possibly be a more important group of nominees for the State of Washington, literally for the country given that Hanford is the largest nuclear cleanup site.

If the goal was originally 2015 in cleaning up that plume, what would it be with $2 billion?

Can you send the committee a written summary of the findings and intentions regarding Hanford and Rocky Flat cases within 90 days?

Ron will also bring his smart business-oriented approach to the Department.

It will be essential to provide periodic reports to Congress, as recommended by Senator Dodd.

opening statement

The Committee will come to order, and let me apologize to our witnesses and colleagues for the slight delay.

I get nervous when anybody is that sure of themselves.

Well, I understand that the Hubble has led to 7,000 scientific papers, and that the information on Hubble, even that which continues to be analyzed, could fill two Libraries of Congress.

Well, I think that's very interesting. What I would like to ask, is that you make available, the Dr. Joyce Winterton, Assistant Administrator for Education, to meet with our staff so that we really have an idea of the comprehensive scope…

And there is no contingency plan beyond that, except, 'If we get to it, we'll deal with it?'

What you are saying is that right now you are doing an inventory of who is there at Guantanomo Bay and what is the right way to dispose of them.

You're correct. Right now SENTINEL will go generally at the second level, which is the Secret level.