Political Quotes

“I thank my colleague for coming to the floor and for her statement on this important issue. She and I are partners in making sure that Hanford waste is cleaned up. We so much want to continue to make progress on this important issue for our State. Having dealt with previous Energy Secretaries, we know that it is always a fight to make sure that Hanford gets the priority it deserves, so I thank her for that. I want to resume my comments about the key functions the Department of Energy performs and why it is vitally important that the agency succeeds in its missions, rather than be dismantled by a President who may not understand the significance of the work the Department does. I am speaking specifically about the Department of Energy's programs to enhance our energy efficiency, promote renewable energy innovation, mobilize, modernize and bolster the security of our electricity grid, and continue to make significant advancements in science. I have spoken to Governor Perry on a couple of occasions, but, as I mentioned earlier, I failed to hear him commit to these essential DOE programs. Our Nation's energy sector is undergoing an unbelievable transformation from fossil fuels. These changes are giving consumers more choice and lower energy bills and producing a more robust job- creation environment. There are now 2.2 million Americans who work in the energy efficiency industry alone.…”