I think we are at kind of a danger point in that if anybody adds anything over here, the whole enterprise begins to lose credibility.

There is sort of a laggard's benefit. As a matter of public policy, and as a matter of simple justice, and as a matter of constituent service, I am interested in what thoughts you may have on what ways the bill could provide some value to…

I appreciate the effort that NRDC has put into this for many years.

Fundamentally, what we are about here is to make sure that people cannot externalize internal costs of pollution and harm to others.

We do have to face those challenges, and our colleagues bring those points of view and they have to be addressed.

We need to think of a way to be fair to communities like Rhode Island which took the hard step of getting off coal early on.

I welcome the Administration officials, with a particularly warm welcome to our former colleague, Secretary Salazar.

I think that there is a very strong and responsible business voice that has emerged.

Very briefly, let me first express my view that the release of the OLC opinions was proper, was necessary, and was wise.

I think as you said, there is the risk that if industry itself won't stand up to these abusive practices and distinguish its science from them, that they will then suffer some of that taint, which I think is unnecessary.

You must feel considerable satisfaction in seeing such swift results under this Administration of the recommendations that GAO offered in the past.

The task force has, in the Federal Register, filed a notice requesting public comments on the President's memorandum and its six guiding principles.

Under the previous Administration, as this Committee witnessed, EPA's integrity was compromised.

Polluters' interests came before protecting public health.

How do we write a policy or pursue a standard of oversight that allows for some degree of management of the function of employees in talking to the media?

The people can handle the truth in a democracy.

I hope that you will do this in a year.

I think you and I share the belief that the better we remember this, the less likely it is to be repeated.

I think the experience of the last 8 years is a significant one. It was particularly bad, particularly unique.

That may need further investigation.

Thank you very much, Senator Carper.

More generally, we had a wonderful speech delivered by our President in Normandy. He talked about why the soldiers return to Normandy and tell their stories.

I am confident that the reassertion of science will bring about the policy reforms necessary for the Environmental Protection Agency to get back to the work of protecting the environment.

The winds of change have blown and under the Obama administration science is resuming its rightful place in public policy.

I think we have a number of these issues swirling around.