we have a lot more older people in America who don't have money, who are often single.

My passion for it does not equal hers because I do not think anyone's does, but it is right up there with hers.

we're $363 million above last year, a lot of money, based upon the President's recommendation.

The plan to make sure that doesn't happen is the way we've structured the competition.

How does that meet the needs of the 5-year $452 million program that you outlined last year?

Clean-energy research, yes. Long-term subsidies, no.

I want to pick up on what Senator Feinstein said about cost overruns in big projects.

The President's budget request includes $19.4 million for a new Electricity Systems Hub and there are plans for 3 additional Hubs to begin in future years.

I think most Americans would be surprised to know, would you agree, that apparently there is a labor shortage in America, even though we have 8.3 percent unemployment in certain areas of our economy?

We have a really ridiculous situation here. I mean, the $35 billion just in a pile that we cannot spend.

I would like to receive assurances from you that you will continue to focus on finishing the radiological cleanup.

The contractor was arguing that the longer we delayed UPF, the more money we wasted.

Well, there's a competition going on for management of the Y12 project.

the rule would mean that seniors in America would have less care, because it would be more expensive.

We now need to go to work on mercury, and we have talked about that.

The President has made an excellent nomination.

You don't start out by talking about the money, you start out by talking about the policy and the need.

By that test, Judge Fowlkes passes with flying colors.

I want to make sure that all of the effort that surrounds a competition of such a major effort does not interfere with whatever we agree upon should be the timeline and the cost.

Are you on time, and are you under-budget?

I want to congratulate the Corps of Engineers for the work you did during the floods and natural disasters of 2011.

Just to summarize the chairman's questions about USEC, I mean, basically, this centrifuge project is completed to the point where we need to know whether it works or not.

a United States Senator cannot, and I don't think should, try to manage anything of that complexity.

So that might be early next year that you could say to Senator Feinstein and me and what the schedule is and what the cost objective is?

But in the end, we will have to have a fast reactor. Will we not?