MOODY AND STALLINGS NOMINATIONS

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 19, 1993

U.S. SENATE,

COMMITTEE ON ENERGY AND NATURAL RESOURCES,

Washington, DC.

The committee met, pursuant to notice, at 10 a.m. in room SD366, Dirksen Senate Office Building, Hon. J. Bennett Johnston, chairman, presiding.

OPENING STATEMENT OF HON. J. BENNETT JOHNSTON, U.S. SENATOR FROM LOUISIANA

The CHAIRMAN. The committee will come to order.

This is a hearing on President Clinton's nominations of Corlis Moody to be Director of the Department of Energy's Office of Minority Economic Impact and Richard Stallings to be the Nuclear Waste Negotiator for the Office of the Nuclear Waste Negotiator. Without objection, the written statements of the nominees, the committee questionnaire, and financial disclosure statements furnished by the nominees will be submitted for the record.

Before we get into the testimony of the witnesses, I would like to welcome our colleague on this committee, the distinguished Senator from the State of Minnesota, Paul Wellstone.

STATEMENT OF HON. PAUL WELLSTONE, U.S. SENATOR FROM MINNESOTA

Senator WELLSTONE. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I will be very brief. I would just like to say a few words about Corlis Smith Moody, who has been nominated to be Director of the Office of Minority Economic Impact at the Department of Energy. Ms. Moody comes to Government service after 18 years in private enterprise and education.

She has held several management positions in the utility, most specifically at Northern States Power Co. in Minneapolis, MN, 1989 through 1993. Her most recent position was director of Work Force Effectiveness and Diversity. She has led the company's Diversity, Employee Relations and Recruiting Offices and her responsibilities included developing the diversity strategy and implementing it throughout the corporation.

I might also add, Mr. Chairman, that Ms. Moody has owned and operated two small enterprises which from my point of view as a member of the Small Business Committee is also very important. I think she is uniquely qualified for this position. People in Minnesota will tell you that she did quite a marvelous job at Northern States Power. She brings a lot of sensitivity to people,

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she brings a real solid knowledge base, and she brings to this position a real commitment to public service, so I want to give her, along with my executive assistant, Bea Underwood, who works with me, the highest possible recommendation, and I thank you.

The CHAIRMAN. You have neglected to mention her most important qualification. She was on the faculty of Southern University in Louisiana.

[Laughter.]

Senator WELLSTONE. And Mr. Chairman, let me add that her most important qualification is that she served at Southern University.

[Laughter.]

The CHAIRMAN. Thank you very much, Senator Wellstone.

If the two nominees would please assume the table, and before we get into the questioning of the witnesses, I would like to first welcome both of you here and ask you to introduce any family members who may be here.

Mr. Stallings.

Mr. STALLINGS. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I am accompanied by my wife, Ranae.

The CHAIRMAN. Welcome, Ranae. Glad to have you here.

Ms. Moody.

Ms. MOODY. I am accompanied by a great number of family members, but primarily my husband, Jim, my two children, Jim and Quinci, and my mother, Quancidine Smith. My brother is Caesar Smith, and my sister-in-law, Sandy.

The CHAIRMAN. And other friends.

Ms. MOODY. All kinds.

The CHAIRMAN. Well, we are especially glad to have you here with a big family and with a lot of friends. It is nice to have friends and family around this town.

The rules of the committee, which apply to all nominees, require that they be sworn in connection with their testimony. If both of you would please rise and raise your right hand.

[Whereupon, Ms. Moody and Mr. Stallings were duly sworn by the chairman.]

The CHAIRMAN. Please Please be seated. Before you begin the statements, I will ask you three questions addressed to each nominee before the committee.

Will you be available to appear before this committee and other congressional committees to represent departmental positions and respond to issues of concern to the Congress?

Ms. MOODY. I will.

Mr. STALLINGS. I will.

The CHAIRMAN. Are you aware of any personal holdings, investments, or interests that could constitute a conflict of interest or create the appearance of such a conflict should you be confirmed and assume the Office to which you have been nominated by the President?

Ms. MOODY. 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.

Mr. STALLINGS. Mr. Chairman, my investments, personal holdings, and other interests have been reviewed by both_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. Thank you.

Are you involved, or do you have any assets held in blind trusts? Ms. MOODY. No.

Mr. STALLINGS. No.

The CHAIRMAN. All right, let us proceed.

Senator CRAIG. Mr. Chairman.

The CHAIRMAN. Yes, Senator Craig.

STATEMENT OF HON. LARRY E. CRAIG, U.S. SENATOR FROM

IDAHO

Senator CRAIG. Mr. Chairman, before we begin to receive the testimony of the two individuals who are before us today, let me speak on behalf of Richard Stallings.

I refer to Richard as Congressman, and I say that because I have known Richard most of his professional life as a Congressman from Idaho's Second Congressional District, and for a good number of years, Richard and I worked together in the House with my tenure there as a Congressman from the First Congressional District.

I was very pleased when President Clinton nominated Richard Stallings to be the Nuclear Waste Negotiator. I say that for a variety of reasons. I think Richard is clearly a person of integrity, but we also want skilled and capable people inside any administration.

With those interests that you and I and others have on this committee as it relates to nuclear wastes and the problem that our Nation has in attempting to deal with it, while you have had responsible and reasonable concerns about the role of the Nuclear Negotiator, we have authorized that through January of 1995 and Richard, I believe, brings to that position the kind of experience that is very important to continue the work that is underway and that I think all of us would hope would bear some productive results in the future.

I say that because, Richard's tenure in the House was as a Congressman representing the Second Congressional District, the district that serves the Idaho Engineering Laboratory. He worked directly and closely with nuclear issues and energy issues. I think that allows him to bring an expertise and a talent to this position that can serve in a very valuable way.

Also, it is important, as this individual works different entities around the country, that he or she demonstrate independence from the Department of Energy. I say that because we created the entity independent of, separate from, DOE. DOE has its own critics out there in the field, and Richard, I think, over the years, walked an important line in the Second Congressional District-that of being a friend and a critic-and I think demonstrated his independence representing the Second Congressional District, and holds that reputation as he sits before us this morning in committee.

So with that, I certainly recommend him to the committee and for the position, and think he will bring credibility and experience to this important position that can result in the type of efforts we hope to have accomplished in the future to deal with our nuclear waste problems.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

The CHAIRMAN. Let us begin with you, Ms. Moody. Both of your statements will be entered in the record.

I might add that both of you come very highly recommended and very high in the opinion of the Chairman, and I think the other members of this committee, so I would like to proceed fairly quickly with the hearing, because, frankly, I have got to go make a lot of phone calls on the superconducting super collider, so if you will please proceed.

Ms. MOODY. Mr. Chairman and members of the committee-▬▬▬▬▬ Senator CRAIG. And the IFR, right?

The CHAIRMAN. That is right, both together.

Senator CRAIG. I think I have got about 10 lined up to make today.

TESTIMONY OF CORLIS S. MOODY, NOMINEE ΤΟ BE DIRECTOR, OFFICE OF MINORITY ECONOMIC IMPACT, DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Ms. MOODY. Mr. Chairman and members of the committee, it is my honor and privilege to testify before you today, and I would like to thank President Clinton for my nomination and Secretary O'Leary for her support. I would also like to thank Senator Wellstone for my wonderful introduction.

The Office of Minority Economic Impact was created to advise the Secretary of Energy on policies that impact minority communities, businesses, and educational institutions. It was created to provide a voice for decisions affecting the Nation's security, energy, and technology development needs.

The opportunity to serve the President and the country as the Director of the Office is both a privilege and a responsibility. It is a privilege, because until recently I would not have thought I would have the opportunity to testify before a Senate committee as a Presidential nominee.

I am the granddaughter of a woman who cared for others children in their homes, the daughter of a career Army officer, and a part-time working mother. I am married to a corporate executive and a minister, the mother of two children. My personal experience as a granddaughter, student, wife and mother, and my professional experience as a director, educator, and entrepreneur I think have prepared me for the duties of this Office.

The opportunity to serve is also a responsibility, because I personally know the issues affecting the constituency for which the Office was established to serve. I was the first in my family to attend a predominantly black university, Southern University, as the Senator has mentioned, in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, and later to teach there. I have owned and operated two small businesses, and directed Northern States Power Co.'s diversity initiatives.

Having reflected on these different experiences the past few months, I am convinced that I am uniquely prepared for the

position. This position was best described to me, and the requirements thereof, by the Secretary of Energy, Hazel O'Leary, when she called to tell me about the job.

She said, "The President needs you in this job, Corlis. He needs your leadership, your energy, and your commonsense.' She said, "We need leadership because mandating compliance has not been successful, and we need someone who can create commitment. Energy is critical, because this job will require a great deal, and commonsense is necessary to meet the needs of all constituencies for which the position is responsible.'

If confirmed for this position, I will assist the Secretary in establishing the Department of Energy as a model agency in the development of strategies that support and strengthen minority communities. Such strategies include the Secretary's demonstrated commitment to increasing minority business participation by more than 90 percent, the Secretary's realignment of the agency's diversity departments, addressing barriers that have prevented minority participation in energy opportunity, helping to provide strategies to create a diverse workforce, and improving the Department's partnerships with minority educational institutions. In conclusion, I appreciate the opportunity to appear before you today. The tasks associated with this Office require demonstrated leadership, flexibility, commitment, and clarity of vision. I assure you that, if confirmed, I will perform the duties of this Office. I look forward to working with members of this committee, your staffs, and the U.S. Congress.

[The prepared statement of Ms. Moody follows:]

PREPARED STATEMENT OF CORLIS S. MOODY, NOMINEE TO BE DIRECTOR, OFFICE OF MINORITY ECONOMIC IMPACT, DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Mr. Chairman and Members of the Committee, it is my honor and privilege to testify before you today. I would like to thank President Clinton for my nomination to the position of Director of the Office of Minority Economic Impact and Secretary O'Leary for her support.

The Office of Minority Economic Impact was created to advise the Secretary of Energy regarding the impact of the Department's policies on minority communities, businesses and educational institutions. The Office was established to provide a voice for minorities on major decisions affecting the nation's security, environment, economic and technology development needs.

The opportunity to serve the President and the country as the Director of the Office of Minority Economic Impact is both a privilege and a responsibility. It is a privilege because until recently I would not have believed that I would have the opportunity to testify before the Senate as a nominee with the Clinton Administration.

I am the granddaughter of a woman who cared for the children of others in their homes, the daughter of a career Army officer and a part-time working mother. I am married to a corporate executive who is an ordained minister and the mother of two children. My family is here today. My personal experience as a granddaughter, daughter, student, wife, mother, and my professional experience as a director, educator, and entrepreneur have prepared me to perform the duties of the Director of this Office.

The opportunity to serve is a responsibility because I personally know the issues confronting the constituencies that this Office was established to serve. I was the first in my family to attend a predominately black college, Southern University, and later taught there. I have owned and operated two small businesses; directed Northern States Power Company's diversity initiatives, and having reflected on these experiences the past few months, I am convinced of my unique preparation for the position of the Director of the Office of Minority Economic Impact in the Department of Energy.