Department of Energy
In late 1998, Bill left his post as Ambassador to the U.N. to serve
as Secretary of the Department of Energy. Bill Richardson has a clear
understanding that energy will be one of the dominant issues of the 21st
century.
Where do we get our energy from? How do we end our dependence on oil?
How can we lower gas prices? How can we stabilize the Middle East? How
can we beat global warming?
These issues will dominate our economic, cultural and political lives.
Bill Richardson has proven experience working on these issues, and is
the best equipped to tackle these problems head on.
Bill's current plan to increase our use of renewable energy is based on
his experience as Energy Secretary -- he knows how to fight global
warming because he has been fighting it for years.
Secretary Richardson fought hard for renewable energy, and won the
President's support for requiring that 7.5 % of U.S. electricity be
generated by renewable power by 2010. He also enacted tough energy
efficiency standards that will save wasted energy and save millions of
dollars on America's electric bills.
Nuclear proliferation is one of the most profound threats our country
faces. Bill worked hard to secure our nuclear weapons, and those of
other countries. At the Energy Department, Bill signed a series of
nonproliferation agreements with Russia. One of these agreements was
designed to spark economic growth and private sector research that would
be open to out-of-work Russian nuclear scientists -- ensuring that they
weren't forced into black market work with terrorist organizations or
other countries.
When he started at the Department of Energy, Bill realized that there
were large numbers of former government employees and contractors who
were sick, dying or had died young. Many of the men and women who had
worked on top secret nuclear research were exposed to dangerous levels
of radiation and chemicals. They were dying because the government
failed to provide a safe working environment. These were men and women
who made the ultimate sacrifice for their country, but they weren't
being treated with the honor they deserved. For too long the government
had refused to compensate these workers and their families, and many of
the victims did not want to speak out because the work they had done was
still classified. Secretary Richardson defied years of bureaucratic
stonewalling and traveled around the country meeting with these poisoned
heroes.
It was hard work, but eventually Secretary Richardson got the government
to agree to begin paying for the medical expenses of our sick and dying
nuclear workers.
Bill Richardson has spent his life fighting for those who don't have a
voice, and for those who have been ignored. With him it's not a question
of if it's convenient or easy to fight for certain reforms -- it's about
doing what's right, no matter where, or for whom.