Thank you Chairman Stupak and Ranking Member Whitfield for continuing the committee’s important oversight over Los Alamos. This is a bipartisan issue, and we all share the same concern and anxiety regarding security at the lab which built the nuclear bomb. I appreciate the aggressive nature that our committee has taken on this crucial issue of national security.

We have three witnesses before us that can provide insight into the problems and solutions to Los Alamos problems, Secretary Bodman, Inspector General Freidman, and Director Anastasio. Gentlemen, I welcome you all here today, and I look forward to entering into a lively and instructive discussion with each of you. I understand that there have been improvements made, but there are still many challenges ahead of you.

Today we will be reviewing the findings of both the Personnel Security Task Force and the Cyber Security Task Force. I’m encouraged by reading about the Tasks Forces, but unfortunately we’ve been told in the past that actions and repercussions will occur, but they never do. That’s why we’ve held hearing after hearing, year after year, on Los Alamos. To quote the Inspector General in his written statement—“Many of the actions are in process and the key to the successful resolution of the matters detailed in our November report is implementation and execution.” End quote. Let me say that again, implementation and execution. You all have good ideas that will significantly affect the security of Los Alamos, but it is not enough for you to come before Congress and talk the talk. You must walk the walk.

While I am still not completely comfortable with using basically the same contractor for operating Los Alamos, I do believe that Director Anastasio is capable and qualified to help turn things around. Also, as I mentioned during the last hearing you have some of the most intelligent minds in the world that work at Los Alamos. While there is clearly an institutional problem at Los Alamos, we must also remember that there are also thousands of hardworking employees at the lab who make a remarkable contribution to science and the country on a daily basis.

Also at the last hearing, we discussed the issue of accountability. It is appropriate to readdress that issue today. While there are many organizational changes that can be made to better ensure the security of our country’s classified information, one of the easiest and most effective remedy is to make the contractor in charge of security pay a deep penalty. As a steward of the taxpayer dollar, I fully support this idea. If the contractor is penalized millions upon millions of dollars, maybe then they will finally recognize how serious of a problem this is and that it must be stopped at all costs. I would like an update on whether or not the Department of Energy is going to hold the contractor accountable for its actions, or lack there of.

I also have another issue within the Department of Energy that I think is appropriate to briefly mention and discuss. I understand that there is a strike occurring at the nuclear security weapon plant in my home state of Texas, Pantex, and I would appreciate if Secretary Bodman would give a brief update on that issue and its impact on security at the plant.

Mr. Chairman, again I thank you for this bipartisan hearing in which we can further address the security at Los Alamos. We are all committed to continuing these hearings until this horrible cycle of security breaches at Los Alamos is finally over, once and for all.