I am sure, listening to that, it is hard to understand exactly what this is all about, so let me take a moment. I want to first thank Senators Lieberman and Collins for all their hard work and I want to thank Senator Gillibrand for writing…

I call up amendment No. 1489 and ask for its immediate consideration. The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will report the amendment. The assistant bill clerk read as follows: The Senator from California [Mrs. Boxer], for herself and Mr…

I ask unanimous consent to set aside the pending amendment. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there objection? Without objection, it is so ordered. Amendment No. 1489 to Amendment No. 1470

the Honest Leadership and Open Government Act of 2007, the ``Act'', calls for the Select Committee on Ethics of the U.S. Senate to issue an annual report not later than January 31 of each year providing information in certain categories…

I thank my colleague. We are buddies. We work together on a lot of good government issues. But the minority leader, the Republican leader, is objecting. So in summing this up, as I leave the floor, I would ask rhetorically, why on Earth…

I am confident that the NRC will continue its critical mission--ensuring the safety and reliability of our nation's nuclear reactors now and in the future.

God forbid something like that ever happen. It stood that country on its head, and whether it ever recovers from it, history will note.

So let's put this thing to bed here. I have to be honest with everybody, there are times when I am intense when I talk to my staff.

I oppose the two balanced budget amendments before us. Senator Hatch's proposal would cap spending at 18 percent of gross domestic product, forcing deep cuts to Social Security and other critical programs. Senator Udall's alternative…

I think the future of nuclear power is at stake, when I look at my own State and the angst of the people who live near those nuclear plants.

Would you and your fellow Commissioners send a letter to Senator Inhofe and myself outlining which five those would be?

I am willing to change it.

I think this is really about culture at an agency, the safety issues.

I am going to eventually make a unanimous consent request. We have alerted our Republican friends to it. But before I do, I want to set the stage for why I am going to eventually ask we be allowed to go to H.R. 3630, which is at the desk…

We will have another round. We will stay here as long as we can.

My fear is, we are going to wait 10 years to get this done.

I will sit here as long as you want. I am a fair person.

According to experts, including the Institute of Nuclear Power Operations, the loss of electricity, as Senator Alexander has said, triggered the meltdown at the Fukushima plants.

I will not allow this Committee to conduct witch hunts against anybody. Anybody. That is not what our function is.

Honestly. And I just feel you are all so smart, let's get on the same team, and let's do what is right for the country.

Moving forward, I will continue to encourage cooperation and collegiality among the Commission members.

I think we proved today that this can't possibly be about what you four say

the importance of transparency

I am going to have hearings every 3 months and bring the Commissioners back so we can keep track of this.

Now, Senator Barrasso proved that there is a witch hunt going on against the Chairman.