Between Worlds, by Bill Richardson: on Energy & Oil

Oversaw Dept. of Energy during nuclear lab security breach

The People's Republic of China was especially interested in W-88, a miniature nuclear warhead. In March 1999, the New York Times published a report entitled "Breach at Los Alamos," describing the theft of nuclear secrets by Wen Ho Lee. Two days later, I fired Lee, and ordered that DOE begin a series of polygraph examinations (lie-detector tests) of lab employees. Scientists at the labs went nuts.

The rest of 1999 was a nightmare of reports and revelations about sloppy security. We were moving fast to address these shortcomings even as the Cox Committee recommended changes

Tapped Strategic Oil Reserve to pierce bubble in oil prices

An energy secretary can also order test sales of up to 5 million barrels any time he or she wants.

I had originally argued for the release of up to 60 million barrels, but Clinton did not want to go that far. We released 30 million barrels and SPR eventually got 33 million barrels from refiners.

There had been a bubble in the oil market, and our policy had pierced it. But we still get most of our crude oil from abroad, which means that we lack the leverage to do much about prices.