I believe not having a hearing is abdication of this committee's duty.

The NRC cannot perform these critical functions properly, though, when it is not operating with its full compliment of five Commissioners.

I have pledged to work against the committee completing other business here on the floor until this nominee gets a markup.

I do not think that waiting is an option.

The imbalance between funding for the physical sciences and the biological sciences was getting to be staggering.

I believe more should be done to protect against nuclear proliferation.

I'm far more interested in an aggressive R&D budget that benefits the Nation as a whole than I am in a long, slow, drawn-out transition.

I am disappointed to learn that the Nuclear R&D budget has been cut by $34 million (-26 percent).

I support strong budgets for you because, as I mentioned earlier, long-term stable investments in scientific research and development is what makes our Nation strong.

I'm concerned that such a budget, if enacted, will not allow you to move forward aggressively on enough major initiatives, including the ITER Project.

I think this is short-sighted in the long term.

Funding for research in the hard sciences is one of the very best and most appropriate investments taxpayer dollars can be made for this country.