If we had this hearing in 6 months, a year, 2 years, at each point what would you tell us percentagewise how much has returned to normal, how much has been rebuilt?

Priorities aside, why is it so difficult to retain the personnel needed?

I guess the only question is not whether it is getting done; it is, how the heck do we get it done by 2015?

Speaking on behalf of the mayor of City of Chicago, we will take that money.

Thank you, again, Mr. Chairman.

As you know, there is a little provision in there that says they have to be in a state of good repair to be eligible for this.

I get it. But there are some things, and I think you just pointed to one of them, where the secretaries can act unilaterally and change some of this that is creating a hardship.

Many of them are concerned about is the Department looking or considering consolidating HOPWA into the Homeless Assistance program?

I am actually not inclined to call them fees unless there is a nexus between the use and what the money collected then goes for. Otherwise, I call it a tax.

The president's budget allows airports like O'Hare to raise their passenger facility charges up to $8.00...

We are not in the busy summer travel season yet either.

I have a hard time believing that Atlanta, Chicago, and several other hubs impact on the entire system is, even with connectivity, is a lot bigger, no matter how you slice this, than several of these very small regional airports.

I think you might want to pick volume versus smaller volume.

The President made a directive to the entire Federal family, and that was, find ways to cut through red tape.

the demand currently, what I said when we talked to some of your colleagues the other day was that a downturn in the economy tends to have an uptick in people who need to have someone appointed, because they do not have the resources.

I feel at this point since I am so new to this committee and the subcommittee, that anything I could add at this moment would pale in comparison to the ranking member's thoughts

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