Question: If we're really doing "nothing" on energy, how, exactly, is the Department of Energy spending over $23 billion annually, and what, exactly, are the over 100,000 workers doing?

Statement: Kerry, Lieberman on Obama’s Oil Spill Address June 15, 2010 - The Page by Mark Halperin - TIME.com

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Senators John Kerry (D-Mass.) and Joe Lieberman (I-Conn.), co-authors of the American Power Act, tonight released a joint statement following President Barack Obama's address from the Oval Office calling on the Senate to enact comprehensive energy independence and climate change legislation this year:

“This could be a historic leadership moment. President Obama used his first-ever Oval Office address to call for the passage of comprehensive energy and climate legislation. There can be no doubt that the President is rolling up his sleeves to ensure we establish a market mechanism to tackle carbon pollution, create hundreds of thousands of new jobs each year, strengthen energy independence and improve the quality of the air we breathe. We will continue working with colleagues from both sides of the aisle to pass comprehensive reform this summer. This isn't a time for band-aids. It is time to be for something, instead of standing by and doing nothing as our energy habits cost us money and increase our dependence on countries that don't like us."

Department of Energy - Leadership

Dr. Steven Chu was sworn in as the Secretary of Energy on January 21, 2009. He leads the Department of Energy with a budget in excess of $23 billion and over 100,000 Federal and contractor employees.