A few years ago several of us, including Senator Feinstein, reared back and asked our staff what would a great country like the United States--what kind of harbors do we need.

I would guess that the idea of underfunding the inland waterways and the Harbor Maintenance Account did not come from the Army Corps of Engineers, but probably came from the budget process.

So we will formally write the letter would be my suggestion if you would agree.

So we are collecting taxes for a dedicated purpose at about $1.6 or $1.7 billion to deepen ports to improve commerce, but we are just going to keep the money and not spend it even though we take it.

Well, you know the priority I am interested in.

I want to be sure that we're working together to implement it as Congress wrote it.

Bobby Scott from the House of Representatives, whose leadership played such a key role in the passage of the Every Child Succeeds Act.

Dr. King is an excellent choice to serve as the next Secretary.

That's four, three, and two.

I mean, walking around Watts Bar, which is just about to begin to produce electricity in our region.

Your own environmental scientists have said that it's safe for 1 million years.

We want to work closely with the Commission to make sure the Energy and Water Appropriations bill we are drafting reflects those savings, making the best use of taxpayer dollars.

I believe that you testified last year that--that--well, it would take an additional $330 million to obtain the construction authorization for Yucca Mountain. Does that sound correct?

Tell me--tell me where they are.

I want to make sure the bill Sen. Feinstein and I are drafting this year reflects those additional savings so taxpayer money is used effectively.

Let me just ask you some questions about Yucca Mountain, which shouldn't take long to answer.

What kind of reactors do you consider to be advanced reactors?

But the bottom line I think, if we cannot use that fund, there are zero dollars in your budget for cleaning up uranium enrichment sites in Tennessee, Kentucky, and Ohio.

I think it's a pretty remarkable record that we have in the United States.

it's difficult for me to see why we should not make nuclear power a primary solution, or one of the primary solutions, to dealing with that problem

It seems to me that Senator Feinstein has raised some issues we need to pursue.

Yes, but if you're analyzing the problem, the problem was you needed water.

I think we ought to do all we can to create an environment in which we can continue to operate nuclear reactors safely.

Well, we--you know, I think it's fair to characterize--and she will correct me if I'm wrong--we are united on the urgent desire to break the nuclear waste stalemate; we're not on what to do about Yucca Mountain.

I wonder if any of the other commissioners would have any comment about the role of advanced nuclear reactors in the future for our country.