Unfortunately, the devastating spill in the Gulf has raised serious questions in my mind about our ability to safely drill offshore.

I support the Administration's decision to pause any new offshore drilling efforts until the Administration and Congress can investigate this incident fully.

We are going to pay all claims that are legitimate.

I think in your testimony you said that BP is committed to paying legitimate claims.

It is my understanding, however, that under current law that any amount that BP spends over that $75 million is eligible for reimbursement from the Federal Government's Oil Spill Liability Trust Fund.

Building a new generation of nuclear power plants would create even more good paying jobs.

Among the things that unite the four of us on this side of the dais is our interest in reducing emissions of sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxide and mercury.

This is one of those recoveries which has the very real potential of being led by manufacturing.

If that is not going anywhere, how with a straight face can anybody be talking about building new nuclear power plants?

So, yes, there certainly are jobs to be created in building new nuclear plants, but it is important to focus on the net impacts, not the gross impacts.

As far as I understand, somebody can correct me if I am wrong, Yucca Mountain is now dead.

The Congress used to operate with a lot less openness and transparency than we do today.

Recently, we have seen several nuclear power plants reporting tritium leaks.

Thank you, Chairman Carper.

I am enormously pleased with the President's appointments to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.

I don't think that is illegal. I don't think it is against WTO rules. I am speaking for the people who don't have work.

So what I am asking here is to direct the NRC that if we file applications for export to overseas markets, that they do get a high priority for review.

I welcome comments from anyone else on the panel.

I suspect that hearing took place at some time, and right now we are dealing with this horrendous catastrophe in the Gulf Coast.

While we may not agree entirely on this panel on the role of nuclear energy and the future of nuclear energy in this country, I think maybe we do agree that the cleanest, most affordable form of energy is the energy we never use.

Good. Thanks very much. OK.

I believe climate change is a problem. I think nuclear is the preferred solution for carbon-free electricity.

We can revive manufacturing in the United States.

We are here today to examine the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) to see if it is meeting its core principles of good regulation in its licensing of new reactors and in its oversight processes of the current nuclear fleet.

Americans regard ourselves as the early pioneers. We are the early pioneers of nuclear technology.