WASHINGTON – Today, Sen. Tom Carper (D-Del.) released the following statement, in addition to submitting questions for the record, on the Finance Committee's confirmation hearing of Jack Lew to be Secretary of the Treasury. He was unable to attend the Finance Committee hearing because he was chairing a simultaneous Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee hearing on the crisis at the U.S. Postal Service.

His statement on Lew's nomination follows:

"Jack and I had a great meeting a couple of weeks ago, and I was convinced then – as I am now – that he is the right man to lead the Treasury Department during this critical time. With decades of experience in both government and the private sector, he knows what needs to be done to make our economic recovery more robust and to put our country on a sustainable fiscal path. As we face yet another set of 'fiscal cliffs' in the coming weeks and months, it would be senseless to leave the Treasury Department without a permanent Secretary. Jack Lew deserves a speedy confirmation, and I look forward to working with a Secretary Lew very soon."