I tell my environmental friends that they have won. Every issue we look at from an energy perspective is now also looked at from an environmental perspective.

It looked like everybody in there just won the lottery.

I will use my position as chairman emeritus on the Energy and Commerce Committee to try to bring some common sense to EPA regulations.

I read every country's perspective on an issue. I also play many games like Bridge, Scrabble and Sudoku online.

I am elated because Oakland gets to have some new energy, some new perspective. I can just see the glee and the joy on the faces of everybody here, but more importantly, the togetherness.

From an environmental perspective, the energy used to get things here has a big impact.