Tom Udall

I would hope the other body would take note of what's happening in the West.

The supposed global cooling consensus among scientists in the 1970's is a myth.

The acts that you administer, the Clean Air Act, Clean Water Act, the Safe Water Drinking Act, are really the cornerstones, as you know, Administrator Jackson, of America's public health.

You have asked Transwestern and El Paso to also match, each of them, to match you. Is that correct?

We want the system, as I was talking to these gentlemen here to be reliable in those kinds of circumstances.

I think what scientists are telling us is that, you know, this 50 year event, we may see 50 year events much more frequently.

We all know from the witnesses we've heard here today how important it is to have reliability.

I hope that Transwestern and El Paso would be receptive to your appeals especially to match you in terms of the dollars.

My understanding is that you've put in a million dollars to try to take care of these personal and individual losses. Is that correct?

In hindsight looking at it and looking at what you know about these sparsely populated areas and the ability of the people to go out and find and shut off and then re-light and all of that.

The primary causes that we're hearing at this point were not because of gas shortages. They were because of lack of winterization.

Should there be new Federal reliability standards to cover the interdependency of electricity in the natural gas supply infrastructure?

I think the crisis continues because when the next perfect storm should hit and we know that it will eventually.

First New Mexico Gas Company needs to improve their emergency planning, communication and service restoration.

I think it's very important that you have done this so quickly and that you have organized this in a way to have panels that I think are really going to get to the bottom of many of the issues that are circulating out there.

As a result the decisions made by the New Mexico Gas Company the burden of the cutoff was shifted to and borne by people less able to bear the cost of it, tribes and the poor communities throughout the State.

We need to improve our interstate gas reliability in the southwest.

He has given incredible public service to New Mexico, dedicated and committed public service. He's a remarkable mentor and friend of mine and colleague.

Rolling blackouts then resulted without consideration for the impact on gas infrastructure and the impact that would have on New Mexicans.

No, nor do I think the solution to it, as I said before, is to remove the contribution limits.

I believe Senator Bennet, our friend out in Colorado, told us that the combined expenditures, total independent expenditures, far overwhelmed both--the totals for both candidates, both Democrat and Republican.

In January 2010, the Supreme Court issued its disastrous opinion in Citizens United v. FEC.

These super PACs are not independent PACs. They are arms of the campaign and I think most people recognize that.

Do you see, when we are moving down the road, as we get into 2012 and 2014, where we have elections where the combined spending of super PACs and independent expenditures are well beyond what the candidates are spending?

I don't think we can truly fix this broken system until we undo the flawed premise that spending money on elections is the same thing as free speech.