it be grazing, whether it be forest products, whether it be mining, whether it be oil and gas, anything on public lands is almost an impossibility.

But today I need to hear what you plan to do to bring about coherence, what you plan to do to bring about a dose of reality to the Department of Energy and the administration's energy policies, and I know that other members would like to share the remarks regarding these nominations.

I am going to have several statements for the record, but let us begin with the witnesses and it seems like, Ted, you are the first one up, if you would like to come to the dais, and I guess I am going to get you all up at the same time, followed by Mr. Friedman, and Mr. Groat, and we have an oath for you if you would care to stand.

[The prepared statements of Senators Johnson and Landrieu follow:]

PREPARED STATEMENT OF HON. TIM JOHNSON, U.S. SENATOR FROM SOUTH DAKOTA Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I commend you for scheduling swift consideration of these three extremely qualified individuals, and I am hopeful they can each be confirmed prior to the Senate's adjournment in a few weeks. I support all three nominations and commend each of these individuals for their willingness to take on the challenge of these, often thankless, positions.

I would like to specifically mention the assistance that T.J. Glauthier, nominee to be Deputy Secretary of the Department of Energy, has provided my office and the state of South Dakota during his service at OMB. While Mr. Glauthier's portfolio at OMB includes many issues of critical importance to my state, I have been particularly impressed with his responsiveness during the many disasters which have hit South Dakota in recent years. Mr. Glauthier has impressed me with his responsiveness to pleas for timely action and his commitment to expeditiously delivering the assistance needed during times of crisis. I am confident he will be equally effective and responsive when he is confirmed as Deputy Secretary of the Department of Energy.

Mr. Chairman, I am also pleased that we finally have a nominee to be Director of the USGS. The Survey has gone far too long without a Director, and I commend Dr. Groat for accepting the challenge to lead this invaluable agency. The USGS provides essential, objective, and high-quality earth-science information that helps manage, develop, and protect our natural resources.

This information is vital to our ability to make decisions concerning the wise use of our natural resources, the mitigation of natural hazards and the stewardship of our environment. Investments in the USGS continue to pay enormous dividends, and the rationale for supporting this critical agency remains strong.

The USGS is getting some attention in my state of South Dakota this week because USGS's EROS Data Center, located near Sioux Falls, South Dakota, is celebrating its 25th anniversary this week. EROS was built in 1973 to receive, process, and distribute land remote sensing data acquired by our Nation's civilian Earth observation satellites.

Through partnerships with NASA and other federal agencies, EROS has been the Nation's primary center for managing and distributing civil satellite data. EROS's data holdings includes millions of frames of aerial photographs, satellite photographs, and satellite images in digital format.

The work conducted at EROS is only one example of the type of quality activity in which the USGS is involved, and I look forward to working with Dr. Groat after he is confirmed as USGS Director to ensure that EROS remains an integral component in his long-term strategy to fulfill USGS's mission.

I would also enjoy the opportunity to show you EROS, Dr. Groat, if your busy schedule ever allows a visit to South Dakota.

Thanks again to all three of the nominees before us today for accepting these new challenges. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

PREPARED STATEMENT OF HON. MARY L. LANDRIEU, U.S. SENATOR FROM LOUISIANA I would like to thank the chairman for holding this hearing this morning to consider the nominations of three people for positions within the Interior and Energy Departments.

I have the distinct pleasure of being acquainted with one of the nominees, Mr. Charles Groat, who is the President's choice to be Director of the U.S. Geological Survey. I have known Chip since he served with honor as Louisiana State Geologist, when, as he has pointed out, I was new to the State Legislature of Louisiana. He and I worked together on issues associated with restoring our coastal wetlands. I welcome him to the Energy Committee today.

I would also like to welcome our other nominees to the Committee, Mr. T.J. Glauthier, nominated to be the Deputy Secretary of Energy and Mr. Gregory_H. Friedman, the President's nominee for the position of Inspector General and the Department of Energy. T.J. Glauthier, of San Dimas, California, is no stranger to political appointments, having served at the Office of Management and Budget as Associate Director for Natural Resources, Energy and Science. He therefore has a direct knowledge of the fiscal issues that are within this Committee's jurisdiction and is therefore a most appropriate choice. Mr. Friedman has been the Deputy Inspector General at the Department since 1994 and therefore also brings appropriate experience to this position.

I support all three nominations, Mr. Chairman, and urge my colleagues to do the same. Thank you.

The CHAIRMAN. The rules of the committee, which apply to all nominees, require that they be sworn in in connection with their testimony, so would you three gentlemen please raise your right hand.

Do you solemnly swear that the testimony that you are about to give to the Senator Committee on Energy and Natural Resources shall be the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth? Mr. GROAT. I do.

Mr. GLAUTHIER. I do.

Mr. FRIEDMAN. I do.

The CHAIRMAN. Please be seated. Before you begin your statements, I am obliged to ask you three questions, addressed to each nominee before the committee, and the questions are, one, will you be available to appear before this committee and other congressional committees to represent Department positions and respond to issues of concern to the Congress?

Mr. GROAT. I will.

Mr. GLAUTHIER. I will.

Mr. FRIEDMAN. I will.

The CHAIRMAN. Thank you. Are you aware of any personal holdings, investments, or interests, that could constitute a conflict or create the appearance of such conflict should you be confirmed and assume the office to which you have been nominated by the President? Why don't we start with Mr. Glauthier and we will go right down the line.

Mr. GLAUTHIER. Senator, my investments, personal holdings and other interests have been reviewed by myself and the appropriate ethics counselors within the Federal Government. I have taken appropriate action to avoid any conflicts of interest. There are no conflicts of interest or appearances thereto to my knowledge.

The CHAIRMAN. Mr. Friedman.

Mr. FRIEDMAN. Mr. Chairman, my investments, personal holdings and other interests have been reviewed both by myself and the appropriate ethics counselors within the Federal Government. I have taken appropriate action to avoid any conflicts of interest.

There are no conflicts of interest or appearances thereof, to my knowledge.

The CHAIRMAN. Mr. Groat.

Mr. GROAT. Mr. Chairman, this is going to sound familiar. My investments, personal holdings and other interests have been reviewed both by myself and the appropriate ethics counselors, including the Federal Government. I have taken appropriate action to avoid any conflicts of interest. There are no conflicts of interest or appearances thereof, to my knowledge.

The CHAIRMAN. I would ask all three of you if you would like to introduce some of the members of your family, and before I do that, I must ask you if you have any involvement in any assets held in a blind trust.

Mr. GLAUTHIER. No.

Mr. GROAT. No.

Mr. FRIEDMAN. I do not.

The CHAIRMAN. Would you care to go ahead with individual introductions? I am going to call on Senator Domenici for any statement he may want to make.

Senator DOMENICI. I do not have any yet.

The CHAIRMAN. Okay.

Mr. GLAUTHIER. Yes, Mr. Chairman, and Senators. I would like to introduce my wife, Bridget O'Hara, who is here on my right, my mother, Martha Glauthier, who is out from California for this as well, and my nephew, Pat Mahr, is in the room as well.

The CHAIRMAN. He almost did not make it. He is leaning against the door, ready to get out quick.

[Laughter.]

Mr. GLAUTHIER. I am afraid my four sons are not able to be here. One of them just started college in New York, and the other three all live in California and are just not able to be here. Thank you. Mr. FRIEDMAN. Mr. Chairman and members of the committee, I am pleased to introduce the three most important women in my life. First, my wife of nearly 30 years, Harriet Freedman, my mother, of 52 years

[Laughter.]

Mr. FRIEDMAN. Miriam Friedman, and our daughter-in-law, Julie Friedman, who is a bright light in our lives.

Our three sons are spread all over the country, and could not be here today, but they wish they could be, to be frank.

The CHAIRMAN. Good, and the ladies in question, to identifyraise your hand. One, two, three-there should be three. Okay. Thank you very much.

Mr. GROAT. Mr. Chairman, I am on my own today.

VOICE. I'm here.

[Laughter.]

Mr. GROAT. Correct that. One of the two most important women in my life is here today, my daughter, Lisa, who is a graduate student at the University of Maryland, who is obviously cutting class to be here today.

My wife is in El Paso, and my son in Louisiana. They are extremely excited about this opportunity to be considered for this position and wish they could be here, but they could not.

Thank you.

The CHAIRMAN. We are happy Lisa is here in the back.

Senator Craig has also joined us. We have had the introductions and are ready for the statements, unless you have a short statement.

Senator CRAIG. I do not. Please proceed.

The CHAIRMAN. All right. Let us go the way the agenda is set up. Theodore Glauthier to be Deputy Secretary of Energy. Good morning. Please proceed.

TESTIMONY OF THEODORE J. GLAUTHIER, NOMINEE TO BE DEPUTY SECRETARY OF ENERGY

Mr. GLAUTHIER. Mr. Chairman and members of the committee, it is an honor to appear before you today as President Clinton's nominee to be the Deputy Secretary of Energy. I want to thank the President for nominating me, and to thank the Vice President and Secretary Richardson for actively supporting that nomination.

I also want to thank you, Mr. Chairman and your staff for moving ahead promptly on my nomination. I appreciated the opportunity earlier this week to meet with you, Mr. Chairman, and some of the other members of this committee to discuss the role that I hope to play in dealing with the challenges facing the Department. It is clear to me that all of the members care deeply about the Department of Energy and the way it carries out its energy and national security mission. I respect those views and believe strongly that the only way that we as the Federal Government can advance this mission is by working together.

If confirmed, I will make myself available to you and to the members of the committee to assist the Secretary and you in working through key issues in a cooperative and open manner.

My background is primarily in business. My position at the White House Office of Management and Budget is the first Government position I have ever held. Prior to that, I spent 23 years in the private sector in management consulting and 3 years in a nonprofit organization.

My years in management consulting involved working with a wide range of corporations and other organizations, and taught me the critical importance of objective analysis and of including all the key parties to a decision in a way that is open, honest, and fair. If there is anything that I hope has characterized my 5 years as an associate director in the OMB, it is the same approach to an open and honest consideration of tough issues, within the administration, with the Congress, and with business, States, tribes, and with other organizations.

I am committed to working with this committee, if confirmed, in that same style of openness and serious, substantive collaboration. I also believe that my OMB experience has prepared me well for this position in other respects. It has given me a familiarity with the Department's programs and senior staff, a good understanding of the agency's budget through five budget cycles, and some perspective on a number of the key issues facing the agency.

In my OMB role I was a facilitator, who often brought agencies together to resolve issues. Now I look forward to being an advocate for the Department of Energy, and focusing on getting problems solved here.

My experience at OMB will help in dealing with other agencies and with the White House on Department of Energy issues. Agencies such as the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, EPA, Interior, Treasury, and White House offices such as the National Security Council, National Economic Council, OMB, these will be important in resolving issues such as WIIP, Yucca Mountain,environmental cleanup at all the sites, stockpile stewardship, tritium decision, electricity restructuring, and many more issues.

The Secretary has asked me to serve as the Department's chief operating officer. I will be pleased to do that if confirmed, and will devote all of my energies to continuing to improve the management and coordination of the Department's programs in fulfillment of its overall energy and national security mission.

I believe my background in business and my 5 years experience at OMB will enable me to work effectively in this chief operating officer role right away.

It also seems that we will have an ideal team in the Office of the Secretary. With Secretary Richardson's experience as a diplomat and elected public official, Under Secretary Moniz' science and technology knowledge as the former head of the MIT Physics Department, and my management and budget and policy experience. I am going to stop at this point. My written statement includes comments on the four major mission areas of the Department, which I would be happy to amplify in response to questions.

The energy resources mission area, for example, I have discussed with several of you the importance of maintaining a balanced energy portfolio that is adequate, reliable, affordable, and environmentally responsible. I understand and support the dual tracks of improving our energy supply sector, and also increasing the efficiency of our energy use sector at the same time.

In the national security mission area, I'm committed to supplying-to supporting the vital role of the Department in maintaining the Nation's defense through its responsibility for the country's nuclear weapons program, and for the Navy's nuclear propulsion pro

gram.

I understand the importance and challenge of maintaining the safety and reliability of the nuclear weapons stockpile without conducting nuclear testing.

In the environmental quality mission area, I understand and support the substantial responsibilities to clean up the environmental legacy of the cold war, and to dispose of commercial and other nuclear wastes. Together, they account for about 40 percent of the Department's annual budget, or over $6 billion a year.

I share the Secretary's commitment to you, if confirmed, to make this a priority for action and improvement.

Finally, in the science and technology mission area, I am proud of the Department's science and technology assets, which are among the finest in the Nation. It is science and technology that underpins all of the work of the Department. The research of the national laboratories is truly at the cutting edge of science.

I want to conclude my testimony today by thanking you again for this opportunity. I also want to thank Deputy Secretary Betsy Moler for her support in this process, and to acknowledge the fine work that she has done in this position.