mr. barrasso and mr. vitter, we have to ask questions as well. that is mr. magwood, this article suggests that for whatever reason he was forced from his job that you're ready to take it over. are you prepared to tell us as a member of the commission that is not the case that if for whatever he left the job, that you would not take the position as chairman of the nrc? >> well, as i mentioned yesterday when i was asked the question about whether the chairman should be removed #, i gave the opinion that, you know, it's not -- my role and my responsibility was to provide the truthful information as i saw it. it's not to make personnel decisions, so i am not going to make a recommendation for the -- >> that was not the question. my -- >> i wouldn't make a recommendation or a comment about what my role would be either, so i don't -- >> well, that's an interesting point. it's an interesting point because according to the huffington post, and i'm not saying it's right or wrong. >> okay. >> according to the article, you have been involved on a, quote-on-quote, coo,

mr. barrasso: thank you, mr. president. is are we in a quorum call? the presiding officer: the senate is currently in session. mr. barrasso: thank you. i come to the floor as i have just about every week since the health care law was passed to give a doctor's second opinion about the health care law. i practiced in casper, wyoming as an orthopedic surgeon taking care of families across our state and i have significant concerns about the health care law, the way it was passed, what was included in the law so i come to the floor today because the american people continue to see one news story after another uncovering another error in the health care law, mistake in the health care law, glitch in the health care law. call it what you will, another of the health care's unintended consequences, something that those who voted for it didn't foresee as happening. and tether also seeing -- and they are also seeing another one of the president's promises. i come to the american people as more and more of these things come forward because hardworking individuals

mr. barrasso: thank you, mr. president. mr. president, first i'd like to ask unanimous consent that clay robbins, who is an intern serving in your office, would have the privilege of the floor for the -- and for the remainder of today. the presiding officer: without objection. mr. barrasso: thank you, mr. president. mr. president, i would like to speak today in support of the keystone xl pipeline. the keystone xl pipeline is one of the largest shovel-ready infrastructure projects in the united states. it would bring oil from north dakota and from canada to refineries along the gulf coast and into the midwest. the pipeline would strengthen americans' energy security and create tens of thousands of new jobs. these are good-paying jobs, mr. president. but don't take my word for it. just consider what representatives of organized labor have had to say. the president of building and construction trades department of the afl-cio said quoaf, any n of the keystone xl project begins and ends with one word: jobs. he went on to say, witho

mr. barrasso, we have to ask questions as well, and that is, mr. magwood, this article suggests that for whatever reason, mr. jaczko was forced from his job that you are ready to take over. are you prepared to tell us as a member that that is not the case, that mr. jaczko left his job that you would not take a position of chairman of the nrc? >> as i mentioned yesterday, when i was asked a question about whether the chairman should be removed and i get the opinion it is not myrick responsibility -- it is my responsibility to provide truthful information as i saw it. i am not calling to make a recommendation. >> that was not my question, mr. magwood. >> i would not make a comment about what my role would be either. >> that is in an interesting point, because according to the huffington -- i am not saying it is right or wrong. according to the of the deposed, you have been involved in something to get rid of mr. jaczko. you may be in line to become the chairman. i am asking you is a question. will you tell us that that is not true and that you would

mr. barrasso: thank you very much, mr. president. mr. president, i come to the floor today as i have so many times since the president's health care bill was signed into law with a doctor's second opinion, and i do that because i practice medicine in wyoming, taking care of families around the state for about a quarter of a century. and when i talk to patients at home, when i talk to people on the street, when i talk to folks all around my state and around the country, what i hear is what they want, what they wanted from the health care law was an opportunity to have care they need from a doctor that they want at a cost they can afford, but what we have gotten, what we have gotten in this country through this administration, this health care law is a law that is bad for patients, in my opinion, bad for providers, the hurs and the doctors who take care of those patients, and terrible for american taxpayers. so i come to the floor again with a second opinion today, mr. president, because i am thinking about job creation and we just heard a

barrasso. >> thank you, mr. chairman. mr. chairman, do you think these other commissioners have a lower that you do? >> all commissioners, different ideas of what safety is that it gets to a question of can affect how safe is safe enough. my voting record shows that i tend to be -- at about the right word is here, perhaps conservative when it comes to safety decisions on the fence than i am willing to perhaps require more of licensees and that very issue to issue. it's hard to say that generically there is a way to categorize it. some situations i take more restrictive on licensees is probably the best way to put it. >> i'm looking at the letter he sent eight days ago to bill daley, white house chief of staff. unfortunately you say all too often when faced with tough policy calls, a majority of this current commission, these four people have taken an approach that is not aspirate to have as i believe is necessary. so that says to me that she truly don't believe they have the same commitment to public safety as you do, at leas