Tom Carper Leads Senate Environment Committee Business Meeting
The Senate Environment Committee holds a business meeting to discuss pending nominees.
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NewsTranscript
00:00our business meeting to order today. Today, as you know, we are going to be considering
00:05a nominee for the Nuclear Regulatory Commission. We are going to be considering a bill to extend
00:11the authorization of the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative. And we are going to be considering
00:16a committee resolution relating to General Services Administration.
00:21When we have a quorum of, I think, 10 members, we will actually move to the business at hand.
00:27But in the meantime, I will make some comments and then turn it over to Senator Capito.
00:33Let me take a minute to discuss the three issues that are before us today.
00:38First, we are going to consider the nomination of Christopher T. Hansen to serve an additional
00:44five-year term as commission of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission. Chair Hansen is a
00:49dedicated public service who has thoughtfully and, I believe, skillfully led the Nuclear
00:56Regulatory Commission during his tenure as its chair. Throughout his time on the Nuclear
01:01Regulatory Commission, he has demonstrated his commitment to ensuring the safety and
01:06the security of our Nation's use of nuclear energy. Chair Hansen has also bolstered America's
01:12energy security and advanced our efforts to slow climate change by leading the commission
01:18to establish a regulatory framework for the safe licensing and operation of new carbon-free
01:25technologies. And that includes the next generation of nuclear reactors and fusion
01:30energy systems. I believe that we are at a crucial moment, and I think a promising moment,
01:36for the Nuclear Regulatory Commission and the future of nuclear energy.
01:41The Nuclear Regulatory Commission is most effective and efficient when it has a full
01:46slate of commissioners to carry out its mission and provide certainty to the industry and,
01:51frankly, to the rest of us. With all of this in mind, I am pleased to support Chair Hansen's
01:56nomination, and I urge our colleagues to do the same.
01:59Second piece of business today, as you know, the committee will consider legislation introduced
02:04by our colleague Senator Debbie Stabenow of Michigan and co-sponsored by a number of members
02:10of this committee to reauthorize the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative. Since its inception in
02:162010, this successful bipartisan program has protected our enhanced hundreds of thousands
02:22of acres of wildlife habitat and accelerated the cleanup of polluted sites in the Great Lake
02:28region. Extending the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative will ensure the continued restoring
02:35and protecting the Great Lakes ecosystems. Legislation before us today reauthorizes the
02:41program for an additional 5 years through fiscal year 2031 and increases its authorized
02:46annual funding level to $500 million. That is from currently $475 million.
02:53Finally, we will consider a resolution on a General Services Administration perspective
02:59for two Federal Bureau of Investigation leases that are currently located in Cleveland, Ohio.
03:05As our colleagues know, under the Public Buildings Act, this committee and the House
03:10Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure must approve General Services Administration lease
03:15prospectuses before they can be funded. Our committee approved this prospectus in November
03:212022, but the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure has not acted on it.
03:27This year, our committee has heard new objections to the original prospectus from the Ohio
03:31congressional delegation and the Cleveland community. After further discussion with the
03:36General Services Administration and stakeholders on the prospectuses, our committee has concluded
03:43that additional GSA review of the proposed FBI lease prospectus in Cleveland is needed
03:50to ensure that, among other things, the leases optimize taxpayer dollars and consider community
03:55input. Today, we will consider a resolution to rescind our approval of the 2022 prospectus
04:02to ensure that the General Services Administration works with stakeholders on these issues raised
04:08before this committee. With that said, let me recognize the Ranking Member, Senator Capito,
04:13for her opening remarks. Senator Capito.
04:14Thank you, Chairman Carper. Thank you for holding the business meeting. As you have said,
04:18we are considering the nomination of Christopher Hansen to serve another term as a member of the
04:24Nuclear Regulatory Commission. We all know that we will need significantly more reliable
04:30electric generation with a projected rapid growth in energy demand. Our energy utilities
04:35will be challenged to meet these known energy needs. However, as again was shown last week
04:41with the onslaught of anti-energy regulations, the Biden administration continues to advance a
04:47climate agenda to close down reliable, dispatchable fossil fuel-fired power plants.
04:53The combined impact of these regulations will weaken America's energy security, increase costs
04:58on families and businesses, and reduce grid reliability. As I have previously stated,
05:04we should focus on increasing the supply from baseload reliable power sources like nuclear
05:09energy. That will necessitate an efficient, predictable, and timely nuclear safety regulatory
05:15process. The NRC Chairman's leadership is central to achieving that goal. The Chairman is tasked
05:23to direct and supervise the staff who are responsible for day-to-day activities that
05:27enable the safe use of nuclear power. Chair Hansen must lead the NRC to ensure that the NRC
05:33staff is prepared to meet this critical moment. During Chair Hansen's confirmation hearing,
05:39I raised concerns about some of the ways that he managed the NRC and the need to establish an
05:47effective, timely, and affordable licensing review process. I'd like to thank Chair Hansen
05:52for the commitments to address some of these concerns, such as directing the staff
05:56to get the subsequent license renewal review and approval process back on track. In light of these
06:02commitments, I will support Chairman Hansen's nomination. I will also monitor the agency's
06:07progress as these commitments are implemented. There's still more work to be done until the NRC
06:12can and should strive to do better. I will continue to work to give the NRC the tools
06:18and direction to fulfill its mission by working with Chairman Carper to get my bipartisan nuclear
06:24bill, the ADVANCE Act, signed into law. The NRC, under the direction of its chairman, must be
06:29prepared to implement the bill's policies and effectively carry out the agency's core licensing
06:34and regulatory oversight responsibilities during this vital time for the nuclear industry. Today,
06:39we will also consider S.3738, the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative Act. This bipartisan bill,
06:47led by Senators Stabenow and Vance, reauthorizes the EPA's Great Lakes Restoration Initiative.
06:53This initiative supports important activities to address environmental challenges facing the
06:58Great Lakes in coordination with non-federal partners. I'm pleased to support this legislation.
07:03Thank you for those words and thank you for your partnership. I believe we have 10 people.
07:07I think we're in a position where we can actually go forward and start voting. I see the
07:12quorum is present as we proceed. I'd ask Senators to hold your statements on the bill and the
07:19committee resolution until after the voting is completed. I know a number of you would like to
07:24speak. First, I want to call a presidential nomination, number 1569, for Christopher
07:30Hanson of Michigan to be a member of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission for a term of
07:375 years expiring on June 30, 2029. I move to approve and report the nomination favorably
07:43to the Senate. Is there a second?
07:45Second.
07:45Thank you very much.
07:52The clerk will call the roll.
07:56Yes, by proxy.
07:59Yes.
08:03Yes, by proxy.
08:11Yes, by proxy.
08:14Miss Lemmel, hold on ů
08:23Kelley is a yes, by proxy.
08:25Mrs Lummers, no.
08:29Mr Marki, aye.
08:32Mr Murphy, aye.
08:35Mr Mullen, yes by proxy.
08:38Mr Abens, aye.
08:40Mr Riggs, aye.
08:42Mr Sanders,
08:44Mr. Stabenow?
08:45Aye.
08:46Mr. Sullivan?
08:47Yes, by proxy.
08:48Mr. Whitehouse?
08:49Yes, by proxy.
08:50Mr. Whitmer?
08:51Yes, by proxy.
08:52Mr. Chairman?
08:53Aye.
08:54Mr. Chairman, the yeas are 18, the nays are 1.
09:04With that, the nominee is favorably reported.
09:06I now call up S. 3738, the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative Act of 2024 and the committee resolution
09:14to rescind approval of the lease prospectus by the General Services Administration identified
09:19as POH-101-CL22.
09:23There is a modified version of the committee resolution that was circulated yesterday in
09:32order to correct a date.
09:34Without objection, we will consider that version as the text for the purposes of this business
09:39meeting.
09:40Members have had the opportunity to review both S. 3738, many of you have co-sponsored
09:45it, and of the resolution.
09:47I believe that they are not controversial.
09:49So without objection, we are going to consider them en bloc by voice vote.
09:55Is that okay?
09:56Yes.
09:57All right.
09:58Mr. Chairman?
09:59Yes, please.
10:00Senator Bozeman is here.
10:01He might want to be recorded in person rather than proxy on the last vote, if there is no
10:04objection.
10:05All right.
10:06Good.
10:07Welcome.
10:08Thanks.
10:09With that in mind, we have members who had the opportunity to review both bills, S. 3738
10:13and the resolution.
10:14I believe they are not controversial, so without objection, let's consider them en bloc by
10:18voice vote.
10:19I therefore move to report favorably S. 3738, the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative Act
10:25of 2024, and the committee resolution to rescind approval of the lease prospectus of the General
10:30Services Administration, again identified as POH-01-CL22.
10:37All in favor say aye.
10:38Aye.
10:39All opposed say nay.
10:40Chair, if any of the Chair.
10:42The ayes have it.
10:43The legislation and the committee resolution are favorably reported.
10:45I note for the record that a quorum of the committee is present, and I want to thank
10:50everybody for being here, and that concludes the committee's votes for the business meeting
10:54today.
10:55I want to thank you all for your participation.
10:56I want to thank our staffs for helping to set this up for success.
11:00And with that, I'm going to recognize members that would like to speak on any of the items
11:04that we have voted on today.
11:06Senator Stabenow, would you like to go first?
11:08Well, thank you so much, Mr. Chairman.
11:11I really do want to thank Chairman Carper and Ranking Member Capito for bringing up
11:19and allowing us to pass the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative Act out of committee.
11:24I want to thank Senator Vance for his partnership in this effort.
11:27This is really important to all of us in the Great Lakes.
11:31The GLRI, as we call it, which I originally authored in 2010, is the most important tool
11:38we have to restore and protect our Great Lakes.
11:41The program has been a major success story.
11:45Since its inception, GLRI has spurred a fivefold increase in the successful cleanup and delisting
11:53of areas of concern, kept over 2 million pounds of phosphorus runoff from reaching our Great
12:01Lakes, reducing the threat of harmful algae blooms, and protected, restored, and enhanced
12:07about a half a million acres of habitat.
12:10This is why the program shares such strong bipartisan support.
12:16It works.
12:18But there is still a lot more left to do.
12:20That's why today's bill is so important.
12:22It ensures that the program will continue to restore and protect our Great Lakes for
12:26years to come.
12:28I want to thank my colleagues for their support.
12:31Look forward to getting this bill over the finish line on the floor in the Senate.
12:36We have the same strong bipartisan support in the House.
12:39Again, Mr. Chairman, Ranking Member, I really do appreciate your bringing this bill up today.
12:45Thank you.
12:46We appreciate all of your work.
12:49Senator Stapp and I are very much in the mode of running through the tape as we head for
12:55the end of our service here in the United States Senate on high noon on January 5th,
13:01I think, January 3rd, 2025, but in my conversations with you, I know how important this issue
13:08is to you, to your constituents, and we're delighted to be able to move the legislation
13:12today.
13:18Mr. Chairman.
13:19Please.
13:20Thank you.
13:21And Senator Stabenow, before you leave the room, and of course Senator Carper, thank
13:24you for your service to your states and to our country.
13:29Chairman Carper and Ranking Member Capito, Wyoming and other western states have enormous
13:35interests at stake in NRC approvals, and it involves both nuclear power and the handling
13:43of nuclear materials.
13:46In the lead up to this committee vote, I have to say that while I appreciate meeting with
13:50Chairman Hansen, that I've been very underwhelmed with Chair Hansen's posture regarding the
13:57remediation of abandoned uranium mines.
14:01His response to my letter, which was co-signed by other senators, including both parties,
14:08received a foreign response, and I expect more from the Chairman of the Nuclear Regulatory
14:14Commission.
14:16Since then, our discussions have led me to believe that there's just no enthusiasm at
14:23the agency to prioritize AUMs or a genuine aspiration to address the 15,000 abandoned
14:32mines out west.
14:34The NRC has already had a remediation technology under review for over 10 months, and the technology
14:41was known to the NRC before that.
14:44I can't imagine what more information is required at this stage.
14:49Further, I'm concerned that Chair Hansen's recent hearing comments just don't move things
14:54forward.
14:55He suggested a pilot program or an EPA Superfund process, and those are really disappointing
15:04recommendations.
15:05They have the technology under review at the agency.
15:11So neither of those suggestions recognize the attributes of a working technology, already
15:19studied.
15:20We would be looking at more delays, more paperwork, and licensing hurdles.
15:25Now we know an EPA study highlighted a technology that resulted in over 90 percent success rate
15:34for uranium remediation, with no adverse impacts on surface water or groundwater.
15:4090 percent success rate.
15:44Now most of us would take yes for an answer with results like that, and yet the agency
15:50remains unconvinced.
15:53So in closing, I'm voting no on this nominee.
15:57I'm not seeing leadership to embrace new technologies or the resolve to remediate AUMs in the American
16:04West.
16:05Many of these mines are on the Navajo Reservation in Arizona, and having a process that could
16:13remediate 90 percent of the problem and have an agency fail to advance that kind of a success
16:23rate, in my opinion, merits a no vote at this time.
16:27We'll see what happens on the floor.
16:29Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
16:30Thank you, Ranking Member.
16:31Thank you for your comments, and always thoughtful, always thoughtful.
16:35And we appreciate that very much, and serving with you.
16:44I understand Senator Sullivan may be on his way.
16:47Can somebody confirm that for us, please?
16:49Anybody from his team?
16:53Senator Sullivan, the man of the hour.
16:58Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
17:01You're recognized.
17:02Thanks for joining us.
17:03I'm just here to voice a concern with the committee and how it's working.
17:10You know you got some text messages from me last night.
17:16I'm getting tired of my State being singled out by this staff, Democrat staff, on everything,
17:26with no data, with no heads up to me.
17:31It's happening all the time, and I'm tired of it.
17:35So we worked on the FAA bill for months.
17:39We had a provision on this aviation gas issue to have an implementation that would be a
17:46longer implementation for Alaska.
17:50This goes to safety.
17:52This goes to the huge challenges in my State, which is so big.
17:58This goes to protecting Native people.
18:01We worked on this for months.
18:03Your staff, with Pallone over in the House, the last minute comes and says, you know what,
18:11we're just going to cut that in half.
18:12Or maybe we're going to not have the EPA involved, which is essentially gutting.
18:17This is Maria Cantwell was 100 percent on board.
18:19Ted Cruz is 100 percent on board.
18:21This is FAA aviation safety.
18:25And once again, because it's Alaska, and because the radical environmental groups love to shut
18:29down my State, screw the Native people, this staff, on this committee, with no data, no
18:37nothing, cuts this in half.
18:39And the whole time, I'm negotiating, Cantwell's negotiating, and they're telling me, Mr. Chairman,
18:45that it's a priority of yours, okay?
18:48Priority of yours.
18:49All right, I'm wondering why.
18:50Because it shouldn't be.
18:51I would never do this to Delaware.
18:54And when you and I called last night, no offense to you, you didn't know anything about it.
18:58So it wasn't a priority of yours.
19:00It was your staff.
19:03Negotiate with me and Maria Cantwell on a safety issue that we worked out for months
19:09in the FAA bill.
19:11And all of a sudden, Carper's staff, by the way, I want to know who it is on Carper's
19:16staff, just like, you know what, we're going to cut this in half, okay, based on what data?
19:22I've been studying this.
19:24Maria Cantwell was fighting for this, the citizen agreement, on what data?
19:28I want to know what data.
19:30This goes to safety of my constituents, and you guys jump in at the last minute, and I'm
19:36so goddamn sick of it.
19:40Anything that deals with Alaska, you feel it's open season, because the radical environmental
19:45groups want to shut my state down.
19:49It's wrong.
19:50And I expect senatorial courtesy, not dealing with your staff, but dealing with you on an
19:57issue that's really important to me.
19:59And it wasn't just important to me, it was important to Maria Cantwell.
20:03So I'm really pissed, because we had to cave.
20:07Your staff got its implementation of this to cut it in half, based on what data?
20:14I want to know.
20:15I want to know your staffer who did this.
20:17What data did you use?
20:19None.
20:20You just came up with it.
20:22You pulled it out of your you-know-what.
20:24And it is wrong, Mr. Chairman.
20:27If Delaware had a big issue that dealt with safety, Native people, and my staff was like,
20:34hey, I'm going to go screw with Carper's provision, and I'm going to tell him that Senator Sullivan
20:41really cares, and Senator Sullivan doesn't even know about it.
20:44I would never do that to you, sir.
20:46I would never do that to you.
20:49And Democrats, and it is Democrats, always feel, hey, it's Alaska, the radical enviros
20:55love to shut us down.
20:56We get money from the radical enviros, so we'll go do what they want.
21:00It's wrong.
21:01And I expect senatorial courtesy, not me, and Cantwell, and Ted Cruz, and Mary Peltola,
21:09a Democrat congresswoman from Alaska who's Native, we're working this the whole weekend,
21:17and we're told that Carper really wants this, okay?
21:22I respect Tom Carper.
21:23I'll call Tom Carper.
21:25When I called you, you didn't know anything about it.
21:27So it wasn't you.
21:30It was your staff.
21:31And I don't like this at all.
21:34And I would never do this to you.
21:35And I wouldn't do it.
21:36And your staff's handing you stuff for talking points.
21:38I get it.
21:39Right?
21:40It's bullshit.
21:42And I'm really mad about it.
21:44And I'm sick of my state being the target for radical Democrats who feel they can legislate
21:51on anything just because it's Alaska.
21:53And by the way, it always hurts the Native people.
21:56Oh, we care about indigenous people, people of color.
21:59No, you don't.
22:00I'm getting ready to go talk to our Alaska Federation of Native groups.
22:03All our Native people are in town.
22:06But as you can tell, I'm really mad about this.
22:09And I'm tired of it.
22:10So I want a commitment from you, Mr. Chairman.
22:12If there's anything dealing with my state, again, I want to go you and me, okay?
22:19Senator to senator, not being told by your staff that Carper really cares.
22:23Tom Carper, who I respect tremendously.
22:26You know how much I respect you.
22:27But I'm fighting for my constituents right now.
22:30Tom Carper didn't know one damn thing about this issue.
22:33And I've been working on it for almost a year.
22:37Because here's the thing.
22:39People are trying to get off leaded aviation gas.
22:42Okay.
22:43I agree with that.
22:44My state has 233 communities that are not connected by roads.
22:49Everybody flies.
22:50Everybody.
22:51Okay.
22:52Guess which state has the highest aviation death rate in America?
22:55By far.
22:57My state.
22:58Guess which state has the highest crash rates?
23:00By far.
23:01My state.
23:03This is about safety.
23:07Making sure the timeline of the implementation of this rule gives my state, which is gigantic,
23:12as you all know, the ability to do it.
23:15It's about safety.
23:17And I got a four-year carve-out, which isn't much.
23:20My state probably won't be able to implement this rule for 20 years.
23:23Just incapable.
23:24It's too big.
23:27Everybody uses airplanes.
23:28They're old airplanes.
23:31And now your staff comes in and says, no, we want to cut that in half.
23:36Why?
23:37What data?
23:38Whose idea was this?
23:42Guess what I had to cave to this morning on the FAA bill?
23:45The Carper staff, and it wasn't you, Mr. Chairman, the Carper staff compromise.
23:51Wasn't a compromise.
23:52It was shoved down my throat.
23:54It's bullshit.
23:56And I want a commitment.
23:58Any more legislating on Alaska, if you're going to legislate on Alaska, if I legislated
24:02on Delaware, I would go to you.
24:05Here's why I'm doing this.
24:08I don't get that courtesy.
24:10And I'm tired of it.
24:12And I'm really mad.
24:13Because guess what?
24:14If there are more plane crashes in my state, I'm going to come to your staff and say, you're
24:18killing people in my state.
24:20God damn it.
24:23And there's no data.
24:24I'd like to hear your staffer right now say, what was the data and the basis of saying
24:29the four-year carve-out in the FAA bill, EPW demanded that it be two years?
24:34What's the data on that?
24:35I want to know.
24:36I want to know right now.
24:38Which staffer was negotiating this?
24:42Who was it?
24:43It wasn't you, Mr. Chairman.
24:44I know that.
24:45Because you and I talked about it yesterday.
24:46You didn't know anything about it.
24:51Who's the staffer and what's the data?
24:53Why are you doing it?
24:54And did you weigh anything dealing with safety of rural Alaska pilots?
25:01And your insistence that my carve-out, that Maria Cantwell not only was fine, but she
25:06was fighting for it.
25:08She tried to call you.
25:12So I'd like to know what the data was right now from your staff.
25:14And I'd like to know which staffer of yours was the one saying, Carper cares.
25:19You didn't care.
25:20You didn't even know about it.
25:21Who was it?
25:22Senator.
25:23Senator.
25:24So are you.
25:25But who's the staffer?
25:26Give me the data right now.
25:28I want to know.
25:29I'm really upset.
25:30Let me just say.
25:31And I'm legitimately upset.
25:32And I don't treat anyone else like you.
25:33And I certainly don't treat you because I respect you.
25:38But I would never treat you like this.
25:41You and our colleagues have heard me invoke in this room more times than I can count a
25:48golden rule to treat other people the way I want to be treated.
25:52And to make that clear to my team.
25:54And I wasn't treated that way.
25:56And I tried, especially to you.
25:58You and I enjoy a special bond.
25:59I like you a lot, Mr. Chairman.
26:00By virtue of our service in uniform.
26:03And if I had known, as you know, the breadth of the issues that we cover in this committee
26:12are enormous.
26:13And it's impossible for any of us.
26:16I know, but usually when a senator's legislating on his own state, my state.
26:20You've talked.
26:21Let me just.
26:22My state.
26:23My constituency.
26:24If you had said to me a day, two days ago or whatever, how important this was, what
26:30the issues are, on a personal basis, it would have made me focus on it.
26:34I just didn't hear from you until like yesterday, late yesterday.
26:37You guys got involved yesterday.
26:39And so there's a lesson here for both of us.
26:43And one of those is to make clear I'm always ready to take your calls, your meeting, whatever
26:47you want.
26:48And engage.
26:49So in this case, if you did it, I just missed a signal.
26:54And I regret that.
26:55Having said that, it's still morning in America.
26:59And I think we have an opportunity to make this right.
27:03And we're not going to give up as long as there is daylight today.
27:07And I would ask that we just continue to engage.
27:08We'll talk some more with you.
27:09Well, I put forward a compromise, which I didn't even like last night.
27:12Three years as opposed to two.
27:14And you came back with this text to me written by your staff.
27:17I want to know which one.
27:18No, we won't do three years.
27:22You wouldn't even compromise with me, right?
27:24I want to know the data based on what.
27:27I'm doing this.
27:28I've been working.
27:29These are my constituents.
27:30I'm the one who's the expert.
27:31Your staff doesn't know jack shit about this.
27:33I'm sorry.
27:34No offense.
27:36So you wouldn't even compromise from two years to three years.
27:39That was directly you to me.
27:41And it is really important to me.
27:42And you guys knew it.
27:43Your staff certainly knew it.
27:45I'm just really tired.
27:47Given how important this obviously is, my only regret is that we didn't have an opportunity
27:51to talk about it 24 hours ago.
27:53There's still daylight.
27:55It's morning in America.
27:56Let's continue to focus on this.
27:59You and I and our staffs as well.
28:01And work with Maria, Ted Cruz, and others that are engaged in this.
28:04And the administration, which has an interest as well.
28:06Does the administration?
28:07I'm sure they're out to shut down my state.
28:09That's why I'm curious.
28:11Is your staff getting direction from the White House to screw my state?
28:15That's what I truly want to know.
28:17I really do.
28:18Because why?
28:20This is the last issue in the FAA reauthorization.
28:23The Alaska carve out.
28:25Four years as opposed to, again, we're not going to be able to do this for 20 years.
28:31And it became this giant issue.
28:33I'm like, why is it a giant issue?
28:35Geez, I know my state.
28:38I'm legislating on it.
28:39Why is Tom Carper so interested?
28:42Well, Tom Carper wasn't interested.
28:44Why is his staff so interested?
28:48I mean, why don't you accept three years right now?
28:50I still don't even like three years.
28:51But the text I sent to you last night was three years.
28:55You came back to me with a text saying my staff thinks that's not a good compromise.
29:01Well, there's a good compromise out there.
29:03And I think if we're smart and don't give up today, we'll find it.
29:07Well, I just want a commitment from you.
29:09The next time someone legislates on my state specifically, because every radical environmental
29:16group that controls a lot of the Democrats, they love to shut down Alaska.
29:20And I am goddamn sick of it.
29:22So next time someone's legislating on my state specifically, Mr. Chairman, it shouldn't be
29:27your staff.
29:28It should be directly you and me.
29:31And don't let your staff ever say, again, Senator Carper really cares about this.
29:35You didn't you didn't even know about it.
29:37And I still want to know what that I still want to know what the data was, what you have
29:42when part of the responsibility lies with you and for issues that are as important as
29:46this.
29:47I've been working this issue all I've been working this issue for nine months.
29:51I've been working this issue all weekend.
29:53All right.
29:54You guys got involved at the last minute.
29:55And I want to know what was the data that your staff used to go from four years to two
30:00years?
30:01What was the data?
30:02Give me the data.
30:03And did you consider once the safety of my constituents?
30:06What's the data?
30:07I can I ask your staff right now?
30:09They're the ones who negotiated.
30:10I think this markup is coming to an end.
30:13Thank you for your passion.
30:17And I would ask that we spend the rest of this day dealing with this and seeing if we
30:21can't work this out.
30:22I think we can.
30:23OK.
30:24All right.
30:25Senator Capito.
30:26Any closing thoughts?
30:27I'll let that be the end.
30:30All right.
30:31Let's see what we have here.
30:35In closing, I want to thank our members for being here today.
30:42And for some final housekeeping, I have three unanimous consent agreements.
30:48First, I ask unanimous consent for members to submit their statements for the record
30:53on the legislation we have considered today.
30:55Without objection.
30:57Second, I'd like to ask unanimous consent to submit for the record a number of letters
31:01of support for the nominee and legislation our committee approved today.
31:06Without objection.
31:07I also ask unanimous consent that our staffs have the authority to make technical and conforming
31:14changes to the legislation approved today.
31:18Without objection.
31:19So I want to thank you, to my colleague, our ranking member.
31:23I want to thank you.
31:24I want to thank our staffs for making what is usually a calm procedure as we report out
31:33legislation and nominations that are actually widely supported.
31:36So we got a little more here than we bargained for.
31:40But my hope is, on a serious note, my hope is that the issues we're just discussing with
31:44Senator from Alaska, that we can keep at it today and see if we can't find a way to yes
31:49it's reasonable and acceptable to all of us.
31:53With that, thanks everybody for your participation and with that this business meeting is adjourned.
31:59Thank you.