Lisa Murkowski

I think it is important to recognize that we have huge opportunities there.

There is no way around the need to make sure spent fuel and the nuclear waste from these plants is safely managed.

But it doesn't seem that there's the level of priority coming out of the Administration on this.

I want to add a me too, on the hydro. You know, we heard very, very clearly from Secretary Chu.

But all appearances now seem to be that the U.S. is backing away from this.

I think there is enormous potential for us out there.

I will tell you I will never forget looking at those spent fuel rods in spent fuel pools near a body of water.

But what the Administration does in its proposal is it takes new production in areas that are off limits.

I think it is a logical way. It's an enduring way to boost funding in that area.

We're sitting here at $16.8 trillion in debt. We've got a budget in front of us that adds more.

It is not acceptable to fail to deliver responses to the committee's questions for months and months on end.

Senator Murkowski and Senator Alexander and Senator Feinstein and I are working on a bipartisan effort to get the Federal Government back into a problem-solving mode on nuclear waste storage and disposal.

But then how do you fund the other things you've been paying for out of your rents and royalties?

The House in an amazing display of partisanship passed their hydro bill with not one member in opposition to it.

I find it really quite surprising that the budget would make permanent the wind tax credit just months after the industry itself proposed a phaseout there.

I expressed disappointment with the overall budget request. This year, unfortunately, is no different. I am again, disappointed.

I appreciate that and I thank you for your response.

I do not see any progress in responding to this request.

I think it is important.

I have heard that the Army National Guard was given a choice of either more Lakota helicopters or retaining the Sherpa.

I think we need to appreciate that it is substantial, and yet there are ways that we can address it and, I believe, should address it.

I want to join you though in your commitment to working on a way forward with the Secure Rural Schools and those communities that we do represent.

Maybe we need to look at this and take it out of U.S., excuse me, out of the Department of Agriculture and put it within the Department of Interior.

We're not going to let that happen. This is too important to the people we represent to let that happen.

We've got to be able to build these transmission lines. We've got to have some help around the road less that is strangling our opportunity economic development.