I think we can and have to do more in the Part D program to help address the prescription drug abuse epidemic.

But in order to build upon the promise of the program, Congress and the Administration must continue to find ways to strengthen the program.

For nearly 50 years, Medicare has served as the bedrock program for our Nation's seniors and disabled.

It is also critical that they take every action within their authority to alleviate fraud, waste, and abuse.

Today the OIG released the report on some of the shortcomings of the oversight of Part C, or Medicare Advantage, and it sounds to me like Medicare Advantage plans have a lot of work to do in order to improve their fight against fraud and…

I'm a little perplexed that you're calling it an efficient system.

I am going to invite all Alaskan potential carriers of all sort, including bush pilots, to submit anything they want for the record relative to their ability to safely carry passengers.

I want to be fair to the Alaskans rather than the lower 48 problems, which the President has addressed better than Congress.

There is no such guarantee in the Constitution.

The reason for that lockout had to do with people who were trying to not carry passengers.

So competition isn't the problem in those two routes.

This committee does have an obligation to protect the ratepayers of the post office, particularly in light of their year-over-year losses.

There has been a lot of talk about killing Bypass mail, as though there's anything in either of these bills that intends do it.

I am a pro-competition person because it normally leads to innovation, better products, better services, and so on.

The post office lost $16 billion if calculated under GAAP last year and 5-point-some billion the way government calculates.

If only people could enter who could prove that they would not be adverse to the rate pool were allowed to enter, your calculation--what was Kevin's name--your functionary, the person that works for you who actually does the calculations.

Legislation in 2002 didn't seem to do anything for you except lock out competition.

This committee is not interested in destroying Bypass mail. We would love to find somebody else to pay for it.