Leading Republican members of the Senate Energy and NaturalResources Committee last week sent a clear message to the WhiteHouse that the nomination of Bill Richardson to the post of DOEsecretary could be tied up indefinitely in the Senate unless theClinton administration makes concessions on the controversial issueof nuclear-waste storage. Democrat members, on the other hand,vowed to fight any efforts to delay the nomination.

Although most committee members called him an “excellentchoice,” it was clear following the confirmation hearing thatRichardson’s nomination could be a casualty if a showdown betweenCongress and the White House over the nuclear-waste issue takesplace. “It might be a question of who blinks first,” said a CapitolHill observer. Richardson, currently U.S. ambassador to the UnitedNations, is said to be extremely interested in the DOE job, seeingit as a stepping stone to either becoming the vice presidentialcandidate on an Al Gore ticket or governor of his home state of NewMexico.

Sen. Larry Craig (R-ID) is “seriously considering” placing ahold on the Richardson nomination when it reaches the full Senateunless the Clinton administration gives the DOE Secretary theauthority to negotiate with Congress on nuclear-waste storage. Hecontends the White House has forbidden previous secretaries fromtaking this action. Committee Chairman Frank Murkowski (R-AK) andRod Grams (R-MN) support Craig’s effort.

Sen. Dale Bumpers of Arkansas, the leading Democrat on thepanel, was strongly opposed to the Senate using Richardson’snomination to extract concessions from the administration. Theenergy committee has scheduled a business meeting for Wednesday,where it could vote out Richardson’s nomination to the full Senate.First the nominee must respond to the numerous written questionsposed by committee members and it’s not likely there will be aSenate vote on Richardson before the August recess.

In a related development, Washington sources say Acting EnergySecretary Elizabeth Moler, who has twice been passed over for thetop slot, plans to leave the department after a new secretary takesoffice. Energy observers had believed that Moler, former chair ofthe Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, was a shoo-in to replaceFederico Pena, who stepped down as DOE secretary in late June. Butinstead she was edged out by Richardson, who is said to have the”ear of the president” and the “confidence of the president.”

Susan Parker

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