I think on the performance metrics, that is an area that was not stressed in the Recovery Act.

You can't pour almost a trillion dollars into the economy without having some positive effects.

So the answer is no.

Good morning. Welcome to the Investigations and Oversight Subcommittee hearing titled 'Stimulus Oversight: An Update on Accountability, Transparency, and Performance.'

I would like to remind my friend from New York there is a huge difference between Southern Company and Solyndra.

Now that funding has been obligated, and recipients are actually spending the money, it is important for this Subcommittee to take a step back and see if we can develop any lessons learned, any best practices, or identify any areas of…

Monitoring this funding is proving to be a daunting task for agencies and watchdogs.

I respectfully disagree with my friend from New York about the success of the Stimulus Act.

I think overall it has been an abject failure.

Okay. Mr. Friedman, do you have any comment? Can you answer that?

Although there is certainly enough oversight work to go around, I am pleased to hear that a positive theme has developed as well.

In Hosea 4:6, God says: My people are destroyed from lack of knowledge. Because you have rejected knowledge, I also reject you as My priests; because you have ignored the law of your God, I also will ignore your children. This is a promise…

If these interagency communications do indeed take place, would you agree that it is the apparent policy of this Administration to increase the cost of energy and to dramatically limit domestic access to those energy resources?

The Environmental Protection Agency has proposed and is in the process of enacting regulations targeting traditional, inexpensive sources of energy.

Well, Secretary, I disagree with you on that regard.

It is going to cost thousands, if not millions, of jobs. It is going to hurt our economy.

I see the EPA making rules without consideration to the economic cost and even utilizing what appears to me to be junk science in forming their regulations.

the Environmental Protection Agency has proposed and is in the process of enacting regulations targeting traditional, inexpensive sources of energy.

The answer I got from the Secretary does not give me any confidence that there is any communication.

Well, the thing is what it appears to me is that the policies of this Administration are increasing the cost of all energy production.

Science is not sometimes true science.

Why is such an important activity given only a negligible mention and offered little in the way of express protections?

I think we are going to see more and more lawsuits being generated because of this proposed rule.

I have been associated with where actually the Endangered Species Act harms the proper conservation of species.

I am extremely concerned about where you are going with this proposed rule.