Jeff Bingaman United States Senator from New Mexico

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Jeff Bingaman today chaired a Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee hearing to consider the nomination of Dr. Steven Chu for energy secretary.

Chu is the director of the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory and a professor of Physics and Cellular and Molecular Biology of the University of California, Berkeley.

"I'm very strongly supporting Dr. Chu for secretary of energy.  I think he is a great choice and he will bring to the job not only understanding of the science and the technology, but good managerial experience, as well.  For those reasons I think he will easily gain the support of the Senate," Bingaman said.

"I look forward to working with Dr. Chu on energy and climate change issues," Bingaman added. "We'll have an immediate opportunity through the economic stimulus package to begin crafting policies that create "green" energy jobs and emphasizing energy efficiency."

Chu has received numerous awards, including co?winner of the Nobel Prize in Physics (1997).  Chu received A.B. degrees in mathematics and physics from the University of Rochester, a Ph.D. in physics from the University of California, Berkeley, and a number of honorary degrees.

The hearing can be viewed here.