Tom Carper

Success in doing so will help us as we work to curb our debt.

That level of debt was not sustainable then, and we all know that it is not sustainable today.

We clearly need to identify ways to improve our return on investment here.

When I was Governor of our State and involved in the National Governors Association (NGA), we always used to say States are laboratories of democracy, let us use them in that capacity.

The National Medicaid data are not current, they are not complete, and they are not accurate.

Say that again. The partnership with the States----

That is a good point.

I think the idea for providing the 1-year extension that you just alluded to actually came out of a hearing right here where Ms. Yocom is sitting.

Leon Panetta has assured us that they will be auditable prior to their deadline of 2017, so that is good.

If you go back, the Deficit Reduction Act passed in 2005, 2006 to 2008 to get the audit started, 2008 to 2010 to see there was a problem, and from 2010 to now to redesign the program. So we are 6 years out, and we really have not…

That is an important step forward, and we applaud that.

I often say there is no silver bullet for fighting waste and fraud, but this bipartisan bill provides--I think we have over 35 cosponsors.

Medicaid continues to be on GAO's list of Government programs at a high risk for waste, fraud, and abuse.

I would just add to that, and I have said this in this room before, and this is just my counsel to you, would be to, as the leader, if you are confirmed and become the Chair, to try to focus on what is the right thing to do; not the easy…

Regardless what happens with Yucca Mountain, I think we have to learn from that experience and just be a whole lot smarter going forward as we prepare to take next steps.

The discussion dealt with spent fuel is not going to end up in Yucca Mountain, and how do we go forward and find a place that is suitable in this country or places that are suitable in this country.

I am encouraged that the President would move quickly to nominate Dr. Macfarlane to serve as Commissioner and to chair the NRC.

I believe that it is important for us to have a fully functioning Commission because today the NRC is addressing some of the most pressing issues that the nuclear industry has faced in years.

Again, thank you both for your testimony today and for your willingness to serve.

We need to keep in place the tax credits that we have to incentivize some of those purchases.

You should start with additional hearings on the issues that are going to be very complicated, like fees.

My personal opinion is at the moment, without a robust, discernible repository development program, the enthusiasm for moving early on consolidated storage will probably be short lived.

Make the fundamental decision about whether to use Fed corp as the Blue Ribbon Commission recommends.

Certainly the idea was a useful one, and other countries have tried it.

We have to be smarter the second time through than we were the first time through.