we are absorbing the risk and are in a position to be able to do it.

It seems to me that a very smart strategy might be to eliminate whatever barriers and obstacles there are right now to training nurses required to meet that requirement.

we will never find our way out of this recession unless we are aggressively identifying creditworthy emerging businesses.

I am often asked to extend H-2B visas to people coming in with special skills, and I am happy to accommodate the industry of a State that continues to cry for skilled workers.

I think that we have to very strongly consider the flexibility required in our laws today to try to accommodate as many of the families' choices that are very tough choices that these families are making and really honor the family unity…

I suggested that maybe the SBA and the USDA could work more in partnership.

I support the goals of the program. I want to try to make sure that the quality of this program and the effectiveness is made stronger.

Both Senator Snowe and I believe it should be elevated to a Cabinet level position.

I understand that there is a requirement, I believe, a 30,000 gap in the number of nurses required in Louisiana right now.

the United States needs to be 'credible' in this conflict.

a longstanding battle cry for al Qaeda and other Islamic extremists is that the United States has not been a true neutral partner in the Arab and Israeli conflict.

We passed bipartisan energy legislation in 2007 that reduced our dependence, or seeks to reduce our dependence on foreign oil and to reduce at the same time harmful emissions into our air.

We required 9 billion gallons of renewable fuels to be blended into our gasoline starting in 2008, last year.

Gasoline consumption is down 2 billion gallons per day, and that is a good thing.

Two short years, and we all know we all face a vastly different world.

I'd first like to thank the Chairman, Senator Carper, for holding this hearing as an opportunity discuss the latest issues facing the Renewable Fuels Industry.

Thank you very much, Mr. Chairman.

Yes. For the record, let me just articulate, since the stenographer cannot take down either nods or blank stares, that that seems to be a consensus of the witnesses.