1. Nations Nuclear Weapons Program Energy Conservation Radioactive Waste Disposal Domestic Energy Production http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Department_of_Energy

2. Mission to increase the development of reliable, affordable, and environmentally friendly power to realize the benefits of domestic renewable energy production http://www1.eere.energy.gov/windandhydro/printable_versions/wind _mvg.html

3. Goals  improving the energy efficiency of new and existing buildings to reduce national energy demand  to create marketable technologies and design approaches that address energy consumption in existing and new buildings  to produce homes on a community scale that use on average of 40% to 100% less energy http://www1.eere.energy.gov/buildings/goals.html

4. Accomplishments  UNISOLAR modules, brought on line by DOE scientists in 1999 made photovoltaic technology far more attractive for consumers to install at home.  Putting the Advanced Turbine System (ATS) to work will result in a 10 percent decrease in the price of electricity and emit less greenhouse gases.  http://www.er.doe.gov/News_Information/News_Room/2001/Most%20Notabl e%20Scientific.htm

5. Seal The seal shows a coat of arms on the center, green, bordered yellow with a lightning bolt bendwise sinister issuing from sinister chief between an atom, a sun, an oil well, a windmill, and a generator, all yellow. The crest is a white eagle's head erased. The shield is displayed against a dark blue background, surrounded by a green ring fimbriated yellow on both the inside and outside, inscribed with the department's name in yellow letters. http://flagspot.net/flags/us_ener.html

6. Is this cabinet position necessary to aid the executive?  The Department of Energy was created under the Carter administration in 1977 due to an oil crisis the occurred at that time. The price of fuel rose sharply in the 1970’s and there were shortages due to the peaking of oil production by major industrial nations, such as the United States, which caused us to depend on Arab oil-producing states. The Arab oil-producing states stopped selling to us in response to Western support of Israel during the Yom Kippur War. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Department_of_Energy

7. Our country, like all industrial countries, depend on energy to drive our economies. Without energy, we couldn’t drive our cars, heat our homes, grow and harvest food or produce goods in our factories. Because energy is the backbone of our society, our government needs to ensure the free flow of oil and other energy resources at fair market prices always takes place. It is also in our natural interest to ensure our country takes advantage of all sources of energy that can be produced in an economical manner. As long as our executive branch understands the importance of energy and the role the United States has as a world leader, the Department of Energy can be used by our executive branch to encourage all forms of energy production, as well as reasonable conservation methods.