U.S. Secretary of the Navy Ray Mabus assured U.S. Sen. Kay Hagan on Thursday that the Navy is moving ahead with six studies on water contamination at the Marine base at Camp Lejeune.
His statement, during a Senate Armed Services Committee hearing on the 2011 defense authorization bill, follows the Navy's promise a week ago to pay for a key mortality study on the contamination.
As recently as January, Mabus told senators that the $1.5 million mortality study was unnecessary. The study is to be done by the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry.
Hagan, a Greensboro Democrat, askedMabus: "When can we expect for this agreement in principle to be solidified and when will the money be transferred to the ATSDR for theactual study?"
Mabus said the money would come as soon as the Navy receives its payment voucher.
"It will take three to four days, but we're ready to fund this," he told Hagan.
"We're ready to move forward on this, with all six studies that previously have been agreed to."
Those include not only the mortality study but also a health survey of potential victims of the water contamination.
Well water from Camp Lejeune was found to be contaminated with chemicals.
The Marines have said residents living on base from 1957 to 1987 were exposed.
Kissell plugs sports books
The National Education Association asked members of Congress to name their favorite children's books.
U.S. Rep. Larry Kissell picked the Chip Hilton series by Clair Bee. The books, published between 1948 and 1965 and aimed at adolescent boys, focus on a talented athlete who tries to help his teams win championships. Bee, a basketball coach, was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame.
"This is a great series of books," said Kissell, a Biscoe Democrat. "Chip had a dream to be the best he could be in sports." The books tell how Chip and his coaches interact on and off the field.
I'm telling: The N.C. Democratic Party filed complaints over undisclosed flights taken by Republican gubernatorial candidates. The filing follows a round of Republican complaints about Democratic Gov. Bev Perdue's campaign finances. So in addition to fighting at the ballot box, the parties are now trying to get each other's candidates in trouble.
Unsure voters: A pair of polls show that Secretary of State Elaine Marshall has an early lead in the Democratic primary for U.S. Senate. More significantly, though, both polls show large majorities of voters have not yet picked a favorite candidate. Meanwhile, Republican U.S. Sen. Richard Burr has a strong lead over his two primary challengers, while 45 percent of Republican voters say theyhaven't made a decision yet.
Another bad day for Edwards: Oprah Winfrey, the queen of talk show hosts, grilled former John Edwards aideAndrew Young over why Young would agree to help Edwards cover up an extramarital affair. Throughout the interview, Winfrey hammered Edwards over his behavior and lies.
In other news: Perdue scolds the U.S. transportation secretary over a lack of funding to help with major road projects. Former Gov. Mike Easley is seen favorably by 16 percent of state voters, a poll says. The state's largest teachers group said taxing lawyers is the best way to fill the budget gap.
By Washington correspondent Barbara Barrett and staff writer Benjamin Niolet
