an update on detainees at guantanamo bay. u.s. officials say four uigur detainees were sent to bermuda, the first time since 2006 the u.s. successfully resettled any of guantanamo's populations of chinese muslims. . a hearing on the issue starts in about one hour with ken lewis. you can hear live on c-span rita. a real to track report says foreclosure filings fell in may.

but they remain an elevated levels. it is the third month in a row that foreclosure filings exited 300,000. in a normal market would be less than 100,000 per month. senate republicans introduced legislation today to force the treasury department to divest its stakes in several industries by july 2010. under the proposal the federal government would be prohibited from taking new ownership stakes in private industry, forbid influencing management decisions, and be required to submit a plan on how will and its interest in fannie mae and freddie mac. senators john cornyn and spoon are expected to hold a news conference later. even though the use of charter flights does not violate senate ethics rules as long as paid for by the members office, some senators been more than others. office account records show that senators chuck schumer and john cornyn are the biggest spenders,

but are not the only ones to use charter flights. in the first half of the fiscal year, three others spent more than $100,000 each on transportation. following a decision by the united nations security council to move ahead with sanctions on north korea, defense secretary robert gates says he does not dismiss threats of retaliation. speaking in brussels, the secretary also says that it does not appear that the capitol has made any military preparations to follow through on the threats. officials from scotland, indonesia, and thailand, and from the missions in geneva expect in announcement of a global swine flu pandemic to be imminent. the world health organization meeting in an emergency session today is likely to declare the first flu pandemic in 41 years. it would push drugmakers to fast-track production of a vaccine. finally, from the new york daily

news the head of the white house military office forced out over the photo over the statue of liberty has become a senior fellow at the center for american progress. those are some of the latest headlines on c-span radio. "washington journal" continues. host: our democratic senator, senator mary lenders from louisiana joins us. -- mary landrieu. guest: we have been busy looking for pat ford for renewable energy for america. it has been a tough debate, not necessarily republican against democrat, but region versus region. host: you recently passed a bill on drilling. guest: we actually voted on closing a title on gas drilling. there's a major energy bill with

several titles. the main is renewable electricity standard. we are trying to get electricity -- right now we're using mostly coal and gas to produce electricity. some including myself like to see some alternative. it is the way that we treat the traditional sources that have some of us concerned. millions of people are employed in the coal industry, the oil and gas industry. we think we can clean a lot of those industries up, make them more efficient, and provide renewables electricity. yesterday we talked about opening offshore oil and gas drilling more in america. to me and makes perfect sense. we asked saudi arabia to increase their productions when prices go too high, the least we can do is produce more ourselves. we had a good vote yesterday, opening more for drilling. but it did not include revenue sharing.

that is very important for coastal states. host: are you satisfied to have had a vote on drilling? guest: i am half-way satisfied. we're moving in the right direction, both democrats and republicans, moving towards more domestic drilling. in a shameful that we send letters asking those around the world to increase its drilling and yet will not do it here at home. but on the downside interior states since 1920 have received a portion of the taxes the industry pays to the government. the state keep 50% and send a 50% to the federal government. it is a partnership. it produces resources for the american people. we do not have the same option on the coast. that is my major issue. for 50% of the american people

who live along the coast -- if they think there could be some oil and gas drilling safely off their coasts i believe those communities should at least share and revenues. host: you brought along a map. guest: this is the gulf of mexico which is divided into three different areas. the western planning district below texas, the central below mississippi and louisiana, and the eastern gulf below alabama and florida. the little spot in the middle are will recall 181, the land in between. there is tremendous gas and oil in those three areas. two are open. yesterday we voted to open the dark blue area, the eastern planning area. host: what about this area? guest: yes, we voted to open this destin dome area.

i think that those on the coast of texas and louisiana -- there is a tremendous amount of work going into the fabrication of these facilities which are quite clean today, by the way look more like the space industry than the oil and gas industry -- but we believe the people along the coast should use some of those revenues for coastal restoration, improvements to energy ports, and at general infrastructure just like wyoming and alaska last year. wyoming received $1 billion from sharing the revenues on federal land. we believe the coastal states should share as well. it will be a big fight on the floor of the senate. we hope to build a coalition of interior and coastal states who believe that go it alone is not the right way. partnerships always work better. host: overall, what is your view

of the obama administration's approach to energy policy? guest: i am encouraged by his goal of energy independence for our nation. i am encouraged that he wants to move to cleaner and more renewable fuels. i consider nuclear part of that option. france is generating 80% of its electricity from nuclear. we are at 20%. we need to increase perhaps up to 50%. it has been proven technology, particularly third-generation and clear. however, his proposal to put a $34 billion tax on the oil and gas industry on top of the fragile economy is wrong.

it will lose many jobs in america. not only in louisiana and texas, but illinois, new york, new jersey, california as well. we are trying to modify the tax increases or eliminate them. make natural gas -- ask boone pickens what he thinks about natural gas. we have a tremendous opportunity. host: our guest is senator married landriue. ue. host: the know where denham springs is? guest: us, i do. caller: yes, i have called the senator's office quite often. what has me puzzled here is, if we are needing oil so bad, why have the oil companies cut the

rigs in half in the past four years? why have they cut the oil rigs in half in the state of louisiana over that time? why are you pushing a single- payer health care, mary? it will get you in trouble. you know what i'm talking about. guest: let me take the first question. you are right, ri rightg count is down by 50% because the prices have fallen so precipitously. they are on the rise again. they were all the way down to $40 per barrel. the last look it was at $85 per barrel. i am not defending the industry. i think they have lots of problems, but it is difficult to plan billions of dollars of investments if the product you so one day is $40 and the next day is $140.

our goal is to help and stabilize as much as we can so we can get the account up. on your second question, i know that canada has a single-payer program and some like it. but i think we can do a much better in america. if i have to say so myself. to have a program that is market-faced with government protection. i am looking to give you and everyone in america a health care plan almost identical to that in congress for you cannot be dropped. there are no pre-conditions. you can afford it and if you cannot the government will subsidize it. the government does not necessarily subsidize hours, but we have a health care plan that we can afford and pay for. we think it is a better way, but the great news is, just like in a single-payer plan and of the

one i have described, everyone is covered. i support the president's effort to do that. host: your position on health care has been a little difficult the last couple of days. has it been fairly reported? guest: no, it was not. it has been picked up by "the huffington post" which got many parts of the story wrong. i support bipartisan efforts. we have seven democrats and seven republicans. it is the proposal closest to bringing all americans into the plan the members of congress have, but it is a private-based plan. it is not government-run. it is government-supported, but not government-run. that is a big difference. many of us want to see reform, but not a government-run program which would be too unwieldy, too expensive.

we want a program that is market-based. people can have their own independent health insurance and seek whatever provider they want. all of their benefits would be covered. some think it is too good to be true. the fact is members of congress and federal employees have it. we think everyone in america should have it. host: on our republican line, you are on with the caller: senator are you? i have been listening to you on tv about drilling more off the coast. that is great. but don't you think sometimes ceo's and president's of the oil companies are holding down

bank? anything to raise the prices? guest: my effort is to give jobs kept and to ensure energy. we have a growing demand for energy, not only here, but all over the world. it is very serious. if we do not try to increase the domestic production and clean coal which is probably used more around the world been even oil and gas for production of electricity -- and it is very dirty and contributing terribly to the warming of the atmosphere and rising of the oceans and pollution. the strategy is to clean coal and to expand clean, natural gas

drilling. oil can be done cleanly as well, and then promote alternative fuels like wind and solar, expanded a clear. our goal, and some senators, is to get america as energy- independent as possible. our scientists tell us we cannot be completely independent but we can be energy-secure. when we need to import let's go to our friends, not our enemies. let's never have another war over oil or gas. this country can use the technology and engineering to get the energy we need to reduce prices for consumers, and promote alternatives. that is what the president wants to do. host: you said energy is more original issue than a political one. guest: yes. i should have brought my map to

explain this. as simply as i can say it, there are places where the wind blows very strongly and consistently, and in their places where the wind does not blow it all. so, when people talk about wind energy -- that is places like north dakota and kansas who have a lot of wind. they cannot wait to get wind energy. but in places in the southeast we have on oil and gas, but not much wind on shore. we do have wind offshore. that is what this does not break down between democrats and republicans. it breaks down by region. some places have a lot of coal, some have a lot of gas. nuclear is interesting because it can pretty much go anywhere if people allow the plants to be built. it is about one part of the country saying we have these resources and want everyone to

use a because there will make money. then it would cost my taxpayers more to have to buy wind from north dakota when they have natural gas in their backyard. that is what the debate is about and it is always a very heated debate on energy. host: missouri, on at the independent line. caller: good morning, y'all. guest: y'all, i heard that. caller: a comment on our energy policy. we should set a policy to reduce it each year the amount of oil consumed because it is a great pollutant. i basically disagree with the government with respect to oil leases. we basically give the oil to the

oil companies for next to nothing and then we let them charge us whatever they want to. i would approach that the oil is the natural resource which belongs to all the people in the united states and the government should contract production of it, just like a contract building an airplane. guest: you raise an excellent point. it needs to be looked at. it is the way that the united states government has contracted with oil companies. as a result -- first on the positive side -- we have some of the finest technology in the world. all over the world people look to american companies for that technology. i am very proud in my state of louisiana along the gulf coast we have developed a lot of that.

as gently as i can say this, you have hit a point that may be time to look royal to reforms. we should look to see if companies are paying their fair share, just like we look to see if the coastal states are receiving theirs. and if the federal government is receiving there's been nohow? i do not know how we will proceed. but there are many different ways that countries all around the world contract with, or, on the far left side of the argument, they just take over the oil fields been a the problem with that is that you do not get any oil produced because governments do not a good job of running oil rigs. you need the technology and no- hassle of the private sector. but thank you for your comment. host: hurricane season has started. are you ready? guest: we are more ready than we

were. i think everyone along the coast is more ready than they were before hurricane katrina, but we have a long way to go. here are a couple of examples. you can look at a map of all the shelters -- the majority are red cross shelters and they are school. if you have a catastrophic flood and people have to flee to shelters, let's say schools better on this map, what happens two or three weeks down the line when you want to open the schools for the children who should be going to those schools? there is no backup plan. number two, unfortunately, the bush administration was stuck on trailers. why? i do not know. if they just could not come up with something else. the obama administration has inherited this plan with

trailers. if a hurricane five hits manhattan as it did in 1938 on long island, i don't know how many troops can fit in times square, but it will be interesting to see. -- how many trailers can fit in times where. we finally have a good fema director and has a vision and leadership ability. we finally have a very excellent homeland security director who was a governor and had to do this for her own state and is cognizant of what governors must do. we have made progress, but we're not ready for a catastrophic storm. host: nearly four years ago -- how many people are still in trailers. guest: we had 3400 trailers. maybe 30,000 people in them. we have come a long way. we still have homes, thousands

better still not repaired. the question is, what is the obligation of the government? what is the role of the private sector? how we support non-profits to help rebuild communities? i have been to the netherlands. i feel like i have been to the mountaintop. i have seen a great cultural area below the sea level that has the north sea lapping at it just as with the gulf shore, but they have protected their people and have a system of flood control and water management that is the best in the world. we can do this along the gulf coast, not by building concrete barriers, but by managing the water. i was told that we have a system of patch and pray in the united states whereas they have a design of guaranteed flood control. they treat water like a marathon swimmer, not a drowning man.

my vision is to learn to live with the water. we have a long way to go. host: a democrat from st. louis, you are on with senator mary landrieu. caller: good morning, since we were given the stimulus packages for the auto industry, why don't they have the oil companies about the oil industry? there have been inventions that the oil companies have had shelved because the want to keep gas prices in the mileage at a certain rate. there is a movie called "who killed the electric cart?" -- car?" that was in northern california. the oil companies least those cars and prevented their use. one of the major things that obama was saying --

preventative medicine, better food. making quality of food better, i think that is one of the major things that is a problem with health care. guest: you are right on both of those points. i thank you for those comments. in the old days and still today there has been a dragging of the fee. and there has been some unfortunate partnerships if you will between the oil companies and though car companies to keep all of our automobiles moving on oil. it has been a major fight. we are making a lot of progress. people have realized, even the energy companies themselves, that americans want cars that run on a multitude of fuels.

we do not want to move from oil and get stuck on another -- let's say natural-gas. we do not want to move to all- electric vehicles, either. i would like to move away from a monopoly on all together and let consumers have lots of choices. because the more diversity, then consumers are put more in charge. if the price of natural gas is how you can go to a pump and fill up with electricity. it would give you choices. whether we can get there quickly i do not know, but that is the vision. the second question -- i am sorry? host: health care and food. guest: thank you. you are right, the new system we want to have to have health insurance for everyone must include a strong preventative aspect. if people can get in to see

their doctors before they're sick and keep themselves from getting sick, that is the best health care we could have. we have a system now of treating illness. we need a system of maintaining and promoting wellness in america. it is about diet, exercise, not smoking, and other things. and also good prescription drugs that help people to stay well and out of the hospital. thank you for those comments which are right on. host: republican from ohio, you are on with senator mary landrieu. guest: hello. caller: i think the whole agenda of the democrats is a backward. host: give an example, vincent. caller: clean energy. we have oil, coal, gas, air. but it is all complicated, that is all i hear from you guys.

because people from this area do not want this. you are the government. you are supposed to at least protect us. all i heard was that we were over there after their oil, welcome yes we are not producing enough to take care of us. guest: let me say this. i am for more domestic production. i began my conversation by saying that we do need to produce more oil and gas here. we need to continue to produce coal, mine it, but need to clean it, of course. sometimes the debate in washington go between democrats and republicans, but in the energy debate it is region against region, not party against party. it is not really that complicated. but some regions have certain resources they want everyone to use. others have others.

hopefully, we'll get to a good end which is our job, to work through these issues, to get a plan where we can be energy- secure. where we have clean energy, consumers have choices, and prices are lower. it would support our economic growth model which our current situation does not. thank you very much. host: the last call from phoenix. caller: hello, mary. i am annoyed by both the far left and far right. i appreciate that you are more in the middle. why are we not using a rail system as in europe? we have to rely completely on airlines. we even get charged, and will probably soon get charged for using the restroom. there is no alternative other than driving. with large families that is extremely annoying.

i do not understand what these incentives what we could not be building a mass transit system to give people from the east to the west coast when these trains run on mike 1 gallon of gas over 400 miles. guest: you are absolutely correct and that is one of the president's number one goals. to bring america to the 21st century totrwith trains. there were billions of aside and the stimulus package. you are right, the airline industry with our help how screwed up a lot of things. people need choices. there should be not only more trains, but more metro systems and internal city transportation systems. washington, d.c. has a pretty good one. but all cities need good transit systems like the one in washington, d.c. -- and in rural