Jeff Bingaman: “I agree that heavy oil, oil shale, and methane hydrate are very significant domestic resources.”

I would certainly like to thank Senator Bingaman, who just retired just very recently, for the strong support that he has shown me over the years, and including support for this nomination.

I think all of us, if we were choosing a Secretary of Energy, would want to choose somebody with those attributes.

He knows the crucial role that Congress plays in setting policy and in overseeing how that policy is carried out.

He has demonstrated, on numerous occasions, his ability to find solutions to very difficult problems and to find solutions that could gain the support of Democrats, Republicans and Independents alike.