law and political science. watch landmark cases live monday. or listen with the free c-span radio at. they had resources for background on each case including the landmark cases. and you can down load the case of podcasts. or from your podcast subscriber. the energy secretary with the budget request for his apartment topics included energy infrastructure and cyber security renewable and clean energy it this is 90

minutes. the committee will come to order. we are here today to discuss the budget request for the department of energy or fiscal year 2019. so we welcome to the committee secretary rick perry it's good to have you back in front of us. like last year at the the request emphasizes funding for the national nuclear security

information. the budget request to cleanup our nation's nuclear sites. i appreciate these proposals but the requests offsets them with cuts to a number of energy and science programs to enjoy strong bipartisan support. it is a program that undertakes innovative pioneering work. we should also recognize the innovation is critical to our nation's energy future. it creates jobs. it adds to adds to our security and increases our competitiveness. we need to focus on maintaining the global leadership in science, leadership and development. the hard-working scientists and engineers at our national laboratories and universities. i do not support all of the proposals i believe we will

find many areas of interests interest and agreement. i believe it's time to look at reforms that can reduce the stovepipes and make better use of taxpayer dollars. i'm intrigued by the department's decision to create a new cyber security office and i look forward to seeing the remainder of the budget justification i want to welcome you back before our committee i will note that the secretary has a hard stop i understand you will be taking up some nuclear related discussions and we appreciate your time. out of respect for our limited time. i will end my opening remarks here and simply note that i look forward to hosting you mister secretary in alaska in the near future. it's a global leader in science and technology. with an unrivaled network of

national laboratories. it is also key to our national security. an important priority is energy infrastructure security and our infrastructure is under attack. it's under cyber attack and we need to do much more to protect it as a national critical asset. russia has proven its ability to disrupt the grid. they would announce new sanctions. the department of homeland security and the federal bureau of investigation characterized activities as a multistage intrusion campaign. who gained remote access into the energy sector networks. the fbi and the department of homeland security state that since at least march 2016 russia has targeted entities including our energy and nuclear sectors a year ago i called for comprehensive assessment of cyber attacks for the grid by russians.

and make sure that we have an assessment. if the fbi and the recent admission is not a siren that i don't know what is. i hope that the belated response is the first step in turning that around to being a robust response to protect our critical infrastructure. you appeared with your colleagues in that commerce committee and said that maybe we can elaborate and talk rate a little bit about that. but as we discussed at the hearing earlier this month. payment is not a substitute for the serious investment in meaningful action that we need. you told this committee earlier this year that it cyber one of the key priorities. i hope we will see meaningful action from this

administration. we don't need rhetoric at this point we need action. i want it to be more aggressive and i hope that we will get the assessment of where we are with our grid as a milestone to what we need to do moving forward. we do want to defend against what could be widespread blackouts in devastation to our economy and to the other harmful security risks. i know you and i spent many of hours in the national laboratory discussing many of these issues. i know you know this very well. it is a science and technology powerhouse. the proposed budget/as many of the potential programs. and it will be devastating to our clean air economy. and the jobs by eliminating the drastic cuts.

and it would raise electricity rates by auction off federal utility assets. these are mistakes and i will ask questions about them. it would also undermine u.s. leadership and kill jobs as the chair noted at that there's a hearing for the first time china is expected to surpass the u.s. in total r&d expenditures and according to the international agency. between now and 2040. the cost of clean energy and energy efficiencies had dropped between 41% and 94% since 2008 and much of that was driven by the r&d of the department of energy. this is why we think it's so important to continue the science mission.

they have helped consumers save money and save jobs. they supported over 3 million u.s. jobs. the success story is built on lots of work. through our national labs like the pacific northwest laboratory and richland washington. the budget also i think besides eliminating the rather as asian program it provides highly leveraged state control funding. they eliminate loan programs. the cut to the energy research. 65 percent for the energy efficiency and 59 percent for the electricity delivery system. i am disappointed by the administration's approach to the hanford cleanup. the proposal cut to buy a 200

from fy 17 that was enacted. instead of the cut. they need an increase. and even more complex and those budget cuts has been justified by saying the decrease from 2017 and acted levels reflect the finishing plant to slap on grade". there is not even a date to resume work. they had been enabled to protect the workers. we saw firsthand how we need to work in a safe environment whether the technologies that we need to do that. i think it comes up short under the budget. they would only maintain status quo as you understand. there is an agreement that has to be met.

we will look for to asking you questions about this in our q&a. it's very important that we continue to make progress on the largest cleanup project in the world. i trust you are not going over to veterans affairs. i hope you're sitting right here and making sure that hanford is cleaned up. welcome. if you would like to provide your comments and then well have an opportunity for questions and our responses. in the ranking member cantwell. it is an honor to get to be in front of this committee in each of the members for your hospitality to discuss the president and the department of energy. if i can let could let me to

say a quick thank you chairman and ranking member for allowing me to be able to depart at 11:30 today. i will try to be brief and allow you the opportunity to ask the questions so that we could be productive today. obviously it's a great privilege for me. i'm not going anywhere. it's an honor to serve. they should be for life until hanford is cleaned up. happy to apply that to you. i have ask that of every other one. we will take the under advisement. running this apartment requires a significant expertise and as one of the other things that i want to

thank you for. the nominees through this process in a very timely way and get them on the ground i think we have now nine presidential appointments. that are on the ground and working. this budget request underscores the commitment to stewardship to accountability that is respectful to the american taxpayer. i hope our interactions with you and the other congressional committees over the past year have underscored into transparency and we appeared before the congressional committees 23 times in 2017. and we're proud of the stroke relationship we built with congress which brings me to a topic that i want to address. before getting to specifics.

i'm fully aware and very displaced that some of the budget request documents were not released in a timely fashion. it's not how i operate. nor my staff for that matter. let me just tell you that you all may be assured that you are gonna going to continue to refine those processes and improve the transfer of information to you all. when i first prepared before this committee last year. i committed to advancing several key objectives. i know we needed to modernize our nuclear weapons to address that the cold war programs left us further advance our domestic energy. better protect our infrastructure and celebrate

her computing capacity. the 2019 $30.6 billion budget request for the department seeks to move us forward on these and other goals. our greatest duty is to protect our citizens and nuclear deterrence it's a core part of the doe's mission this year we requested an 8.3% increase for that purpose to align ourselves with that nuclear posture review. in the national security strategy. we are also focusing on addressing the environmental legacy which produced the materials that help us win a world war. and to to secure the peace. last year we promised to promise to focus on the obligation and this year we are requesting additional funds to do so. i know the departments program

is a high priority for this committee especially for those of you with a major project in her state. my visit to hanford last year helped shape my commitment to that just cause. we also have a duty to advance a fundamental mission of our department and that's energy independence and thanks to the ingenuity and innovation we are on the cusp of realizing this mission objective. for the first time since the 1970s. we will produce enough energy from all of our abundant fuels not only to meet our own needs. as we export. to them. today we are exporting those

to 27 nations on five continents. and because it's also making at the energy cleaner. it will efficiently develop. innovation can grow our economy and protect our environment. we drive further energy innovations to drive those energy innovations. the continued funding of our program office as well as funding for research and fossil fuel and nuclear power including advanced modular reactors. we also have a duty to ensure that our energy is delivered without interruption. that's why it last year i promise to step up our efforts to maintain the infrastructure in the face of all hazards. the devastation caused by the 2017 hurricanes and impact to the sector highlighted the

importance of improving grid reliability and resilience. this committee has significant interest in our hurricane relief. i think you for your continued support there. but we also need to protect including cyber attacks we requested funding increases to strengthen cyber security as well as the agencies and the cyber defenses. we are establishing a new office of cyber security. it's called caesar. i can be led by a new assistant secretary. much of our nation's greatest technology breakthroughs have come through the work of our great national laboratories we need to ensure their funding as well. i could speak extensively about some of the great work that they are doing but today i will only mention two. our effort to accelerate the computing systems at the

forefront is extremely important. therefore a 31% increase in that line item and they have positive implications on everything from artificial intelligence to some of the great work we are doing to improve the health of our veterans. in my first year i visited nine national labs with four more coming up i've also visited with, the nevada national security side. in a few weeks looking forward to being in your home state and joining you there. there is one thing that has made abundantly clear to me. .. ..

resources wisely in the purse suit that i've outlined in a thank you and will do my best to answer your questions. >> very good. thank you, mr. secretary. before it became a question, senator heller has a letter he has provided to be part of the record. we will conclude that and you will see a copy of that as well, mr. secretary. senator cantwell has mentioned in some detail the cybersecurity issue in the joint alert from the department of homeland security and the fbi regarding russian government cyberactors and how they have targeted critical infrastructure here in this country, including our

electric and generation sources. note that i share senator cantwell's concern on this. i want to spew sure that d.o.e. is cooperating with dhs and the fbi with implementation of action in response to this. but also to make sure that d.o.e. is taking the lead as the sector specific agency. mr. secretary, you and i had a conversation yesterday about making sure that d.o.e., which does have this legislative -- legislatively designated authority as the lead in the energy sector when it comes to cyberthat again that continues. i would like you to speak specifically to that with regard to the d.o.e. role and then i've got one more quick question. >> senator, thank you.

we work very closely with the department of homeland security. there is clear bifurcation if you will about our responsibilities and certainly the department of energy. we are the sector specific agency and partners at the energy sector to ensure infrastructure security and resilience and coordinate response and recovery. the office that we make reference to that we are standing up here is our response to the clear challenges that the sector has relatives to do sometimes nonstate players thursday players that common and attacking, the attack last year that the russian government was involved with.

there has been ran somewhere that has been stuck in. want to cry a slope we've seen. the formation enhances the role in the sector specific agency for the energy to and better positions the department to address the threats and natural disasters and support the department's expanded national security responsibilities. the reporting relationship to the undersecretary of energy will ensure the important and the direct pipeline of information if you will back to the secretary of energy. and i think this placement is very important to bridge that

gap between science and technology development and the operators and implementers focused on securing our system. so, there is a clear rule that d.o.e. plays on cyber. we are committed to being as technically advanced as possible and it's the reason we request for funding and the reason we have structured the agency or not the agency, but the department as such to clearly send a message that this is important and we will fund as such. >> let me ask you, mr. secretary. this same question that i ask every other cabinet number when they are reporting to us on their budget and this relates to the arctic.

this is an area not just of interest to me, the really adventurous around the world and my complaint or my fear has been that administration after administration failed to really appreciate the opportunities come in the that the arctic presents. so i asked the same question effectively, what is contained in your budget request that is specific to arctic related activity in how you view the department's mission and role of effectively in the arctic? >> senator, i think it is good news for you that i've been there before. i've been on the north slope. i have visited that part of the state as an appropriator when i was in the texas legislature and even before that, time spent in yours they taken in the grand

door and the beauty and diversity of that state. i think it is very important to have people with eyes on, situational awareness of this state, as the needs. one of the reasons i am going with you as i am going to see some things i've never seen before. whether it's micro-grids come importance of micrograms or just having a conversation, is there a role that they could play in a state as diverse and thinly populated if you will as your estate, the idea that a transmission system as we have in the continental party, united states is going to work in alaska is a myth. it's going to take some unique

unique -- it is going to take some unique ways to address challenges that the arctic has. we are committed to does. our national labs, the office of electricity. we are going to be working with you in a commitment to you to be very open to the innovation and technology of the people in alaska and hopefully a way that they've never seen before. >> i appreciate that. my time is up. i will note not only for you, mr. secretary, that the other colleagues on the committee that with the national lab day at the end of may, which will be an opportunity to not only have national labs understand what the arctic cause. thank you. >> thank you, madam chair. mr. secretary, the cleanup budget you've made some assumptions about the plutonium finishing plant but i actually

think our, you know, offer this assessment is cutting 230 million out of god. will you go back and review those assessments as it relates to the plutonium finishing plant a mother to the tri-party agreement and as you this budget that you're going to live up to making the milestones and not? >> yes, ma'am. i think it is very important for us, as you said in your opening remarks, that there are some real challenges they are. going out there and spending the time, my deputy secretary spending multiple trips to the area and others i think it's really important for an education process for us to understand just the complexity, the breath of the mission they are and i am committed to finding the solutions.

>> at living up to the tri-party agreement. >> absolutely. >> on the pml side where the depths to some great whether that was cyber, smart grade, batteries. you remembered, good. i'm not the only one here representing national laboratory. >> and i hope and i lay on the table a history of being a manager of a rather large enterprise as a governor this state of texas. i was an appropriator and an agency head is not steep as well. the experience that i bring just because there is a reduction of a line item doesn't necessarily mean that there is going to be a reduction in result. i hope there is some comfort that what we are doing is

prioritizing in this national labs, are we going to be out to find every line item the way the line items were funded back prior to the 2018 proposed budget? probably not. that doesn't necessarily mean the result we have added the national labs are any less consequential. >> well, i am not sure i agree with that, but i hope you are right. i definitely want science to be a bigger priority within this administration. when they turned to cyberfor a second. i wasn't sure if this is before the commerce committee, that you said you were not confident they have a broad strategy in place as it relates to cybersecurity. i don't know if you're talking about duplication or issues, but my concern is that we still don't have an assessment. we don't have a risk assessment.

if we don't have the risk assessment, how do we know what we are really budgeting toward? you took one stab at it, which i think given everything that has happened at 10% increase is not where we need to be. i call for a doubling, but i can see where i am wildly underfunded and what is one of the most serious threats to us as a nation right now. so, what can we do to get this threat assessment done by these agencies and i think i mentioned you want to hear from our colleagues at armed services or homeland security, the military said at the very table you're sitting not in taliban this is a real threat, a real problem, but d.o.e. has to fix it. and then, here you are sitting with a 10% increase in no threat assessment. what can we do to get a better

understanding of the real risk to fund what is critical to our national security? >> senator cantwell, thank you for recognizing the challenge we have. it is very real, ever-changing. again, i don't want to belabor this point of a 10% increase in being less than what you think is appropriate for this. that is why we have these hearings to discuss these areas of conflict when it comes to you believe there needs to be more. i believe it needs to be a bit more myself, but the fact is we are spending dollars in other areas of our budget that have real concrete effect on cyberand

i'll give you an example and exit scale computing. an ability to manage amounts of data will be tantamount to our success in combating this cyberattacks that are going on. that amount of money has been increased by 31%. so it is not just an outline item on standing up. >> senator, do you believe anita risk assessment of the nation session marked >> i think that is going on as we speak. we have three different areas in d.o.e. focused on cyberand having these conversations before with the coordination and the conversation ongoing, senator. >> i am sure that all of us either in a secure room were publicly would like to see the government risk assessment.

i hope you agree they need one. i hope you can help us get one. thank you. >> senator cassidy. >> how are you, sir. >> last week the committee advanced a small scale access act of 2017 which gives caribbean and central american to the legislation mirrors last september. this bill benefits american workers, the american economy, american geopolitics and lowers greenhouse gas emissions. some objections that somehow this would raise natural gas prices, but according to the cia world factbook, the energy demand of all caribbean nations combined as 1.2% of the u.s. given that only small projects are eligible to benefit from the legislation and the low energy demand, what do you think would

be the impact on u.s. natural gas prices? >> in a simple statement i suggest it would be miniscule, even if identifiable at all. >> and how do you think this would impact the energy markets they were targeting those in the caribbean and central america? >> opening up those markets are incredibly important, whether it is being able to modernize, get away from some very ineffective fuels from the standpoint of both cost and to the environment , being able to bring the lng to play in those markets would be good. >> on this committee you are concerned about global greenhouse gas emissions. replacing high sulfur, highly viscous crude as an energy

source, with natural gas from louisiana but you would probably prefer texas. u.s. natural gas, what would that do? >> in all seriousness, we saw a major transition from older in the 2002 gas plant and we saw sulfur dioxide down by 60% commissions on over 50%. >> that is using venezuelans our crude. you're using something cleaner than not. >> the point is we can see the mission reductions and substantial initial reductions when you transition away plans

that are using a whole another discussion which we don't have time for about the northeast been forced to use some pretty in effect to fuels because they do not allow the transport of natural gas against some of the states. >> texas was the leader of wind power. >> still is coming gas. >> you can have a start of plant that actually you enable for expansion of renewables by converting your baseload if you will to natural gas. any comments on that? >> no, sir. you are correct. >> u.k. renewables suggests a kind of explorer. there is a plant being built in south carolina.

i won't ask you to comment on this too much except that there was an order for a kind of contractor collaborative process to re-baseline that order for 13-point the from the department of energy. i'm not sure that has been updated in its collaborative process. i yield back. thank you. >> thank you, senator, this is cortez masto. >> thank you, mr. secretary. yesterday we talked about expenditures and update on expenditures that would be associated with the restarted yet come out and licensing proceeding. it is important to my constituents have an accurate understanding of the balance of the account at their disposal and what expenditures are made

in the train to direction. would you commit to getting this letter your attention and providing a quick response? >> i literally had it in my hand this morning and i am going to review it as timely a response as possible. >> your budget recommends spending 120 billion to bring high-level nuclear waste in nevada. prior to your confirmation you were asked about yucca mountain and stated in writing that i cannot at this time make an assessment about the time and cost associated with the yucca product, but i'm committed to helping to resolve this national problem. i want to focus on the first part of your answer in regards to cost, are you aware of the last in which the department of energy completed a total system lifecycle cost assessment for yucca mountain? >> i am not. >> it was 2008. more than a decade ago. are you with a detailed estimate

included on the total cost for yucca mountain? >> i'm not. >> in 2007, about 96 billion has not been adjusted for inflation. are you aware of this report also indicates the department of energy will need 13.5 billion in $2007.10 years to obtain a nuclear regulatory commission? >> i take your word for it, senator. >> one of the yet concerns to dob is designed for titanium drip shields that were supposed to say to avert each of the thousands of canisters in the underground tunnels to keep out corroding water. no plan has been made to design the structure is. no paid for has been determined, which is particularly crucial considering the amount of material required has been said to exhaust the nation's supply of titanium and no plan has been

made on how to do all this shield. this unacceptable state of affairs as detailed by former nrc commissioner victor galinsky in the journal article in november 2014th has any such considerations like this been made? >> senator, i would tell you that in the decade passed since that report >> is it based on not to go cost associated with it? >> no. >> did make such expensive innovative engineering, wouldn't it be more appropriate to lay all of these considerations before asking for more money? >> i think what we are asking, senator, is these dollars are for the licensing died the nrc

is working on for operational side of it. it is not to be looking not for structural issues that are involved there that may or may not be. >> so in that regard the department of energy feel confident it would need to submit a new application for changes? >> i think we would be going forward with the licensing process as the law requires us. >> would pay statements require for this subject? >> i expect it would. >> do they have the final design for the facility? >> no. >> why should congress agreed without answers to these questions? >> this issue has been on the table for a long time and

congress funds a number of things without having a final plan done. so this is nothing out of the ordinary. >> i appreciate that comment, but i disagree. i want to know how the money is being spent. i think it's irresponsible not to assess questions, to ask for that information and it's your job to provide the information. if we are going to go down this path and have the conversation, i think you need to come up with concrete answers of the cost affiliated with it but the department of energy. i agree with some of the comments you've made and have concerns that echo some of the concerns with respect to the budget cuts that are occurring in being requested for the department of energy and the impact in nevada as well. >> thank you, senator.

senator barrasso. >> thank you, madam chairman. secretary, thanks for coming back to was good to see you. i strongly opposed the bartered excess uranium to fund the cleanup. we talked about that and that is not something you are this administration had begun. we talked about the need to get rid of it because the gao has said the barbers are illegal. they've also contributed to record low uranium prices and coworkers in wyoming as well as states were producing uranium out of work. last year u.s. uranium productions are at the lowest level since 1950 and we are on the cusp of losing our ability to produce our own nuclear fuel. the administration in terms of our national security cannot let that happen. so can you commit to ending these partners, funding the cost of cleanup in decommissioning services exclusively with the congressional appropriations? >> senator, thank you it's a privilege to be back here in

front of you and miss you and i have had conversations about privately and as i've stated publicly, i think this uranium bordering process has to be on my list of one of the most poorly designed policies i've ever come across since becoming secretary of energy. it pits two very important object is against each other and it doesn't serve either one of them very well and personally i would like to see it stopped completely. we realize what the challenge is. our effort should be focused on letting uranium marketplace work as they showed while continuing without disruption the important work taking place on the portsmouth side. so, given the needed funding passed in a 2018 on the best, i would be pleased to announce the

suspension of the barter program in 2018 and between now and then decide on fiscal year 19 budget and i'm certainly committed working with congress on that. i hope we can extend ending the barter beyond this fiscal year, working together to fully fund our environmental management cleanup through the appropriations process. >> thank you, mr. speaker. one other area. in your testimony to express support for the coal industry through clean coal technologies. the department proposes in his budget however to cut funding for utilization of storage research and development by 80%. now is not the time to cut the spending for utilization of storage, expanded use of technologies will help us protect our environment, support continued use of america's abundant fossil resources that we have.

just over a month ago i worked with a bipartisan group of colleagues to pass legislation extending and expanding tax credits for carbon capital utilization sequestration. what should i believe built on the success of this legislation by maintaining a robust research development program to support the expanded development of this technology. what assurances can you give me the department's budget request is sufficient to support this commercialization of clean coal technologies? >> senator, as i have said earlier to senator cantwell, just because there is a reduction in a particular line item doesn't mean the results we are having are not appropriate. our commitment to carbon capture utilization and storage is very strong. we went to china last year to clean energy ministerial.

we had cc u.s. placed into the list of different technologies they are funding and working on in a worldwide wave. we were in the uae with substantial fossil fuel developers in promoting carbon capture utilization in that arena as well. not only is the agency committed to continuing to find, but also in our national labs to use their substantial technology and innovation to come up with new techniques, due avenues to be able to use coal in a way that is not only appropriate to the environment, but that is also from an economic standpoint very pleasing. >> thank you.

additional questions i will submit in writing. thank you, mr. secretary. >> thank you, mr. barrasso. >> secretary perry, when we met, you promised me you would visit aragon and fermi labs in illinois and i want to thank you for following through with your commitment. although i don't agree with all aspects of the budget the administration is proposing, i am happy to see that the word are gone and fermi labs are leaving with the nature facility are priorities for the administration. secretary perry, i want to thank you in your team for working with map is to provide input on bipartisan legislation along with senator graham and better to help veterans secure good jobs in green energy. our nation has experienced an exponential growth in clean renewable energy. today's solar energy is the fastest-growing in the u.s. in wind energy is quickly becoming a dominant form of energy. in addition, rapid innovation

and technology are unlocking additional forms of low carbon emission energy options and i believe there is tremendous opportunity for our veterans to find careers in this energy sectors did we support passing by bill to create an innovative department of energy program that will promote the hiring of veterans in the clean energy industry? >> senator, i think you know as well as anyone in this room i commitment to our veterans in a multitude of ways. we look for ways to bring them into the workforce because you and i both know they already have matured beyond their years. they were already trained up in a lot of different areas that we don't have to retrain them or to give them initial training. we are supportive of all programs that help employ those

that we have made a commitment to because they have served this century and a sacrificial way. >> thank you. i was used to lure from argon that delia was part pursing research and provision medicine. he appears to be several direct applications in our military community and preventing suicide can address in heart disease in some forms of cancer. i know you mentioned this in the past. could you provide recommendations on how congress can better support the work of d.o.e. national laboratories in precision medicine research and development? if >> we will. let me just say in a broad way that we already have in our national labs, working on some of the nuclear medicine and obviously down in jefferson lab in nor folk they are, the

particle lab, said the science that has gone on that has the ability to really improve the scientific side of the health community in using a nuclear medicine they are. it is one thing that i would invite you to do, senator, better yet, let me send them to you and i would love to have my active program that we were just now standing up, that is focused on veterans mental health. and it's not just veterans. it's also our first responders. the nfl is going to be intrigued with this as well our olympic athletes for that matter of a mother who's got a daughter who plays soccer. any place where concussions can come into place. we are using our massive computing capacity at the national labs, typically in your

district for that purpose and i would love for them to come up and brief you so you have a really good handle on this because i know your love for servicemen and women in veterans as well as the science on this can change some people's worlds in a really positive way. >> thank you. i do appreciate the increases in the budget. way to remain at the forefront of the supercomputing capability on a global scale and if we don't, other nations will surpass us in actively investing huge amounts of money and not. it is good to see that is covered in this year's budget. thank you. i yield back. >> thank you, senator. >> thank you of the man in chair. secretary perry, appreciate you making good in your promise, which was to come out to the fusion plant. we are top of it earlier for 50

years, enriched uranium for government, for nuclear navy, power plants, to radio we need in our nuclear arsenal and the workers at the plant made a lot of sacrifices, some health issues and now we are cleaning up that plant. to my colleague from wyoming who has departed. he talked about the need for us to stop using barter. unfortunately we had to rely on barter because in the last administration they slowed down the cleanup through 2252 by 2044 with the funding they provided, which is a huge mistake not just for that site and the safety of that area in every industrialization that everyone wants, but also for the tax payer because it cost the taxpayer a lot more when you extend the life of the screen next. we need the funding. i did a research of 323 mining jobs in wyoming last year in uranium. when the funding was to be cut

off, as you know, 800 jobs were on the chopping block. we have 1800 peoploing this cleanup. you've seen what they do firsthand. they are great people, doing it in a smart committed way, but the spending going up and down and the barter being pulled would obviously create again this crisis out there or be losing a lot of good people. and we need them. it's a community that is high unemployment already. i guess what i am suggesting today is not pull the plug on a barter until we have the appropriations. i guess i am looking for a commitment from you today that you will continue the barter program unless adequate appropriations are provided in the funding for fy eight team and 19 with regard to the plan. >> yes, sir. i'm committed to the cleanup of that facility. my preference obviously is to have it appropriated in the

old-fashioned way if you will from a straight up appropriation for your citizens on the workers at that plant no that the congress is committed to the funding of god through a normal appropriation. obviously, if that does not have been and then i share that with senator barrasso as well. if that does not happen, the commitment to bat cleanup is dared and solid and long-term. they might thank you. appreciate it, mr. secretary. i appreciate your commitment to it recycling this thing out. it is not good for the area. not good for the taxpayer. the other issue as you well know because we talked about this. the obama administration through the end of its term pulled the plug on a new generation of enrichment. so listen to what my colleague and good friend from wyoming said if we don't have this mining he said we would lose our

ability to produce iran nuclear fuel. we party lost it. we don't have any domestic owned for domestic control of enrichment process in the country now because we were on track under the previous administration through the jcp program, the american century's project to treat with this much more energy-efficient technology called centrifuge. my question to you is are you aware of the fact that there was going to be a reevaluation of the obama administration approach to this. you talk about it in your confirmation. if so, what are the results of that? do we have any sensory go on the next generation of enriched uranium? >> yes, sir. the short answer is yes, sir. we are working towards and as we speak, i think my commitment to bringing the civil nuclear program in this country back to one of stability and frankly to

lead the world is pretty much on display. it has been. we think that there has been, for whatever reason, i'm not going to call it an anti-nuclear mentality, but the nuclear -- civil nuclear business has been left by the wayside, whether it is building new plants here, whether it is committing to small modular reactors, we have tried to reinvigorate that said clear messages that this country needs to lead the world in civil nuclear technology and the centrifuges are obviously a process. when a data have a source for enriched uranium. we'll submitted for nuclear navy as well as anybody. and we also need it for our tritium in terms of

non-proliferation the single most important thing we can do as americans is to say if you don't enrich uranium in your country, which often as you know has gotten diverted into nuclear weapons programs, iran be the greatest example. we will provide you the enriched uranium. we can't do that now. we do a stop or admittedly but we have a program to continue that. by not having a commitment to it than to restart it will take billions of dollars and years and years and it was sure to get started on it now so we have capability into the future. i thank you very much. appreciate your service. >> thank you, senator portman. >> thank you, not an chairman and thanks holding this hearing. our friendship goes back to her day of governor in 2005 that we really knew each other in you

graciously took all the hundreds of thousands of people from louisiana and mississippi and help them and we were able to send troops down and we've been together ever since. also come you been quite busy fulfilling promises and commitments in a bipartisan way to visit all the states you have been at one of thank you you looked at what we have and what we did and also the national energy technology lab in morgantown which circuit on the clean coal technology, which senator barrasso had asked you about it i appreciate your commitment on not using the great coal we have in our state and a much cleaner fashion and looking for different technologies they are. also the rare earth elements, which we have found we are able to extract can be self-sustaining in america. those are very important. netl has been leading the charge

and you've been very supportive. what i would like to ask you about his title 17 loan guarantee program. i know it had been recommended to be phased out. i think there is about a $.5 billion in authority left for the fossil projects on clean coal technology, but also the storage which is extremely important to us and the security of our nation. so i think first of all you're concerned about the program being eliminated despite the strategic importance and also to agree or disagree on the program and what we can do to make us stronger. >> thank you for longtime friendship. i will say that coming to your district, sitting down with you and senator l. and the leadership at the university of west virginia in the governor's

office economic development folks in that community really turned on a bright light for me from the standpoint of how developed that region more so with you because i'm a huge gas deposit and creating a duplicate is natural -- national security of a refining capability of petrochemical. he was a really important trip for me. i think the key words from my good in a realistic way is phasing out. there are billions of dollars they are that havarti been appropriated and i think we could certainly, with your guidance use in a very thoughtful way that can affect a

lot of citizens in a positive way. i'm not going to try to get into anybody's head other than to say if this committee in congress collectively decides to go forward with a program, that we will operate with the type of oversight and transparency in the results that you all will be proud of. >> you and i have spoken directly on this, the storage hub for the national security of our nation, but also the tremendous resources we have in the fraction we have done in west virginia, kentucky, ohio, pennsylvania, the tremendous boom for our energy independence if you will. with that, we have promoted a storage hub, which will give us the product to keep us in a safe location strategically away from

weather turned areas visited quite frequently in louisiana. what are you all doing towards that end you feel it would be a great strategic direction for our nation? >> as the governor i wake up in september in say a little prayer that the category five hurricane did not, the houston ship channel. i've seen that model before and it's devastating not just the number of people that lose their lives, but the devastation it does to the countries petrochemical capacity to have a duplication of that in the region of this country with a natural disaster would be invaluable. duplicating not in the application -- appalachian region, not only in an area that economically could certainly use a shot in the arm, sitting on

top of the great natural resources of the marsalis and the utica can transition a region of america that would be very pleasing economically. >> i will say the department and the administration support is going to be vitally needed for this to be accomplished, but it is something drastically needed at the economic impact it $36 billion almost at a turn of the switch. on top of that, the security of our nation and your attention is greatly appreciated. >> we are going to be focused on it like a laser in your absolutely correct from the standpoint this is one of the projects that i have seen that the government can help but do not have to fund it. the private sector will supply the funding. i want to make sure the permitting process and the ability to get done what we are asking them to get done can be done to fix viciously as

possible. yes, sir. thank you. >> appreciate you bringing up the loan guarantee program. there are many of us around here that feel all that program made some reforms that we actually suggested those in our energy bill, and that we had moved out of here. we've got some funding that his last in that. the leverage of the infrastructure. thank you are raising now. senator gartner. >> i had the honor of joining a couple of our colleagues in a visit to the middle east here a couple weeks ago. as we were flying over jordan right around dusk, i couldn't help but look down and see a mom jordan right below us and think what a great invention surrounding a patent and discovered by people in america. i was looking on the roads filled with old cars, henry ford

who perfected the assembly line in the mass manufacturing of automobiles, looking at houses lit up at night that thomas and edison helped on an airplane that is the outgrowth of work first done by the wright brothers in the united states. all an incredible part. what happens if those next inventions are out of state. what happens if it's not america or people in america to discover those things, but china, india, russia. what happens when the great things that have transformed our economy come from somewhere else. when i look at the budget for the department of energy, i'm concerned about some of the areas of research, the advanced research in particular. what happens if that great next energy discovery isn't in the united states, that is indeed in china or india and they are able to manufacture and capitalize those jobs in the next time we fly over whether it is jordan or

denver, colorado, we look down economic job creation and economic advantages to this research but we will achieve them if we support our scientists and engineers at research facilities. make sure we continue our strong support of national labs can you understand the importance of sponsored research and will support a going forward.

>> the thing i've been most proud of in the year is to build a go to these national labs as i said in my opening remarks i never met anyone as those individuals working at our national labs. obviously, the support of them from congress is very powerful, palpable and will continue on. i know that. to address the specificity what you brought up for the beautiful observation, the dollars are going to procreate probably will make the biggest impact on the research you gene in reference to the innovation that is going to come out of labs.

it will be expedited by the commitment that the extra scale supercomputing capacities we have in our commitment is buried deep and broad. q-quebec mr. secretary, i look forward to working with you on not funding as well as a number of other areas to make sure we continue being the national lab system in the world as they look at our great centers of innovation represented by a research development of national lab system. switching now real quick to grid cybersecurity issues, the office of electricity reliability has bled enough for in the nation with the last to talk about the technical challenges of grid modernization. in many cases, these assets we work with are privately owned and don't have the resources for research and development in d.o.e. has provided a lot of support in that research, deployment of technology for the

great. if it's the opposite it the opposite attitude. 11 focuses on cybersecurity and one focuses on electricity and cybersecurity manner should security and electricity delivery. i'll ask a few questions and maybe you can continue this conversation after the hearing. a crosscutting initiative. the grid modernization laboratory consortium have brought together technical expertise from national labs to address the challenges from a cybersecurity enters storage standpoint. the crosscutting initiative has been a success most people admit that it's important d.o.e. continue to lead this program. can you comment on the department's plans and get back to us on that. that would be great. the coordination attacking our grid we have the possibility of the department of transportation with the reservoir of irish

shutting down 2000 plus computers in the department of transportation. are you confident the budget request will provide resources necessary to ensure that your grid remains secure and is there something else for interagency federal effort to make sure critical infrastructure has the necessary cybersecurity, tools and other discussions. i'm out of time. >> thank you. >> recognized and again the secretary with former colleagues we will try to get through quickly. senator wyden and senator heinrich. >> thank you, madam chair. good to see you. i told the bush administration, george w. bush that bonneville wasn't going to get sold off on my watch and it isn't going to get sold off now either. i just wanted to chew on on notice. we're also very concerned and are part of the world about eliminating the national technology lab in albany, which is doing good work just a couple

days ago. i hope you'll reconsider that. i do want to ask you about hamburg because you on march 6th, the project direct your for the waste treatment plant sent private construction contract term a letter demanding that the company explained why it couldn't document that the steel used at the plant was up this safety standards. the project director said that this was a potentially unrecoverable quality issue. basically what that means in english as they couldn't open the plant after billions of dollars have been spent in decades of effort if that was actually the case. 's mr. hamill would transfer and i like to believe the best in people. but it is hard to see about was a coincidence.

i'm going to ask a couple yes or no questions. i want mr. hamill to promptly provide the committee with a detailed history and explanation about this potentially devastating safety issue at the treatment plan that hasn't yet treated amounts of waste. i would like you to make mr. hamill available to us so to us so that we can ask them directly, without interference about this issue. what you do so? >> i am not sure i can make him do that. but the request -- >> you will tell him that it is acceptable for you for him to sit down directly. >> yes, sir. >> thank you. that should allow me to wrap up and say that share a little bit more time.

this is extraordinarily important as we have seen billions of dollars go into this. you now have the project director saying that there is a potentially devastating safety issue and he has just transferred after reporting the. so, this story really needs now to get into the details. it's a whistleblower story, safety story, and accountability story. when you met with me privately before you were confirmed, you said that on those kinds of issues, we could work together. the answer is to give them this morning constructive. i need follow up here would need to have that done promptly. and if not, go the route of the inspector general. i'd rather not have to go that route and by indicating that you will tell him to provide up the

information detailed in the explanation of this potentially devastating constructive purse that and that you will tell him it's accessible to you that you meet with pass without interference. i look forward to pursuing this and talking about it more in the future. >> yes, sir. >> sounds like you got a plan. senator mentioned. >> thank you. secretary, welcome. i want to start out by talking about laboratory research and development and in my view, an incredibly important investment in high risk, but high reward to these at our national labs allows her scientist as well as other labs around the country to pursue innovative solutions to some of our nations most vexing

energy and national security problems. do you agree that dell brd is important, in fact vital to retain the best and brightest scientists and engineers? certainly important. >> do you support the lab director's current direction set aside as congress set aside for ldrd. >> off all the directions. if you all think that is an appropriate number, we will work with them. >> i am still trying to wrap my head around, given the advancement that have been made they are with solar cells, power controls, lithium ion batteries, why would we want to zero out the program? >> senator, i have calmed from a background having worked in that

type of environment, if you will. that was what i did when i was governor of the state of texas at the emerging technology funds. i know the results of really well-managed programs and i know that there are people on both sides of the aisle were very supportive of ldrd. i've looked at the results of that and have found some very, very positive things that came out of it. i believe that at this. if this congress, if this committee support defending event, it will be operated in a way that you will be most pleased with. >> i appreciate that. i know that share, the supporter and i as well think it's important that this body revisit some of those levels. >> concur. >> movie non, your testimony indicates the energy storage is

an important area of focus. we have certainly seen huge strides in storage in the last few years. i am pleased to see the request for the energy storage innovation hub known as jay caesar. i hope the hub will soon be rented for five years, reauthorized. >> i think battery storage is energy side of things so when we're able to do that is -- i have great confidence that it

will probably come out of a national -- at least some of the work come out of a national. programs, programs grow. they mature. and i think that's what you're seeing happen here beyond batteries is a -- is a visionary quest to find us in a position to lead the world and battery storage. new materials. it's one of the reasons this country needs to be self-sufficient as we can be when it cools to rare earth minerals what senator was mentioning in his district was some deposits there that are -- that are very positive in that direction. so i hope you will look at this senator, as a next step in appropriate next step doe has been historically done early stage financing. get innovations to particular

places, commercialize them, and those programs are mature and we go on to the next challenge so that -- >> i'll run out of time before long i have to make the argument i'm certainly intrigued by the -- you know, what beyond batteries would mean. i think we need to be open to new technologies. but while lithium lithium-ion has had a huge impact on the market i think additional new chemistry, for example, are are appropriates place that's still is at that same level of development within the lapse role early stage not late stage technical. yes thank you. >> thank you senator. senator -- >> thank you madam chair. >> mrs. secretary most forward thinking -- electricity l goal in the country of reaching 100% of --

reliance and renewable by 2024 and project goes in toalings the wrong direction by cutting 66% for reare nubble energy and energy efficiency. and 60% for electric grid and sustainable energy there's a huge suture global market for clean energy technologies and your budget would weaken the united states -- in developing technologies that the economy wants to buy so according to by bloomberg new energy finance china invested 132 billion in clean energy technology last year compared to -- 57 billion in the united states. and china is in reducing its investment in clean energy r&d so why should the united states? so i want to ask use -- you know, what concern what i think we are going in the young direction. so -- why are we doing that? why? i know that you said that we are

continuing to provide resources or research and fossil fuel and nuclear power. where's the commitment to renewable sources of energy? whether you're facing these kinds of budget cuts? >> certainly they're still there. some almost 700 million dollars of -- of funding for that and really focusing on early stage r&d. and we're going to maintain the united states leadership position in these very transformative sciences, and i'm -- i'm comfortable senator that the commitment is still there. we've had some great success stories whether it was dealing g with hydrogen fuel cell and automobiles whether it's a madden exceeded its goal five

over the last five years. in short we're hit or exceeding our goal and then -- you know, you set new goals some of the work that we're doing on carbon capturing yiewtlization and getting that technology out into the world. into indian china, and for instance, can be very, very helpful to the environment. >> so mr. mr. secretary, the i understand the early importance but if you don't beyond early stages then the technology that is develop withed can never possibly be -- utilized, for example, in september, this release sub committee held a hearing on how to foster innovation in energy sector on emphasis on role of energy lab, and the director of the emerging technology strategy for duke energy one of the largest electricity utility canes in the country explains that utilities need to know that

a new technology fully works before they trust that on their power system. so as she explains that it is not necessarily fundamental sciences but what i would call early stage r&d. but the fact of the matter is we can't operate out of a system with technology solutions that descroant history. so she continued that anybody who says lab upon potential of the private sector perhaps doesn't understand complexity of the system that we're operate oing one of the reasons that i introduced next generation of the systems act last congress to support public, previous to, partnerships to demonstrate how to have storm warning, rooftop solar and other advance electric grid technologies so i thank for including advanced grid demonstration grnts and their energy bill and i wish the president budget had the same fore foresight so my point is mr. secretary. we need to support yongd the early stage stuff. so you know, i hope that --

you'll recognize continuum in the east for the alternative energy sector. thank you senator smith an trying to keep the secretary on time l so we will be very quick. >> yes. thank you very much "madam secretary," and mr. secretary it is very mice to meet you and thank you for being here. i want to -- very glad that -- senator asked the question about the -- energy efficiency and renewable energy office i strongly support that, and appreciate what i think was a willingness i hope a willingness to work with us on getting that budget number up to a place that would work much better for my state. i also would like to quickly note i have a similar request i'll say on the importance of whetherrization sthans which is so important in minnesota. the weatherization assistance program has helped, it helps seniors stay in their home and young families afford their

homes because they can afford energy better when we -- weatherize their houses so important in minnesota. as former business person i appreciate that return on investment for this program is good according to oak ridge national lab we see a -- one dollar and 72 cent benefit for every dollar that is invested in weatherizing homes, of course, it create ares a lot of jobs too. and a so, i want to just ask you u would you be -- i would really leak to work with you on this as well, and see if we keapght find some chon ground on keeping the weatherization assistance program working well for -- minnesota and our country. >> we'll work two w you and a a governor i think it is really important for the state to play a a very important role in that -- in that arena as well. >> yes. i agree with that and our state does play an important role and looking for a partnership with

the truest. federal government. >> thank you senator smith. senator king. i'm going to try or for 30 seconds. [laughter] governor you're welcome. our secretary you're supposed to call by your highest ever title in tboarch. >> i won't get into that. [laughter] i'm glad to be here in any role. three quick points congratulations on formation of the cybersecurity energy security and emergency response office. very timely very important. i think a great initiative and look forward to working with you on it. this is an area of huge national vulnerability the fact that you have an office to focus exclusively on that problem i think is commendable and i -- certainly as i say look forward to working with you on that. that's number one. >> thank you, sir. >> please maintain focus on research. i believe one of the most important things the federal government can can do is do research that isn't necessarily going to pay off right away

because the commercial sector does that very well. but we all know that we wouldn't have fracking wouldn't have the -- revolution in the price of oil and gas that we have. but for support through department it of energy many year ago we needs to be thinking in the future about that kind of support for future technologies that we perhaps can't even imagine now. so -- research however it is defined which ever department it is in i think is one of the most important functionings that the department of energy can perform. so i hope you will continue that focus on things like storage for example, which you've karksz characterized as one of the important parts of this future in this country. committed? >> yes, sir. all of the way. >> number three weatherization is really is important. i want to echo my colleague from minnesota. this is -- we face citizens in maine to choose between medication heating home an putting foods on table and weatherization is great way. it's a -- great way of avoiding expendtures in the future so --

please if the congress refunds, reestablishes that, i hope that -- the department will continue to actively promote it because it's -- it's very important to our constituents. >> senator king, the department is beginning to be a good partner. but more importantly, if having been an a appropriate or tore in one of my previous lives having been an agency head and then been a governor and now secretary of energy, i respect this process. and if you see fit this committee see fit congress see fit to fund particular items, i give you my solemn oath that it will be -- administered and managed as transparently and as successfully as possible. >> mr. secretary i can't ask more than that. thank you very much. >> thank you, sir. >> thank you madam chairman. >> senator king. thank you. this is well ahead of senate's

time we're one minute over your hard stop. so i think we did pretty well. i think you heard sir the concern for many about these budget keargt areas we'll be looking kritly as we focus on weatherization cleanup cyberbut we appreciate the opportunity to work with you and your team. >> senator thank you and thank you again for your -- for your thoughtfulness in allowing me to walk out thank you all it for pleasant experience. dges happy to be with you. committee stangdz stands adjourned. [applause] thank you.

senator king. [silence] >> this morning u.s. trade representative spend a second day on capitol hill to testify on the steel and aluminum tariffs imposed by the u.s. and giving an overview of u.s. trade policy. our live coverage at 10 a.m. eastern on c-span 3 also on c-span.org, or o our free c-span radio app. for nearly 20 years indepght on booktv featured the nation's best known nonfiction writers for live conversations about their books.