how could I, in good conscience, ask for more money to be sent to your program without that kind of detailed information?

But, in this case, they do provide an innovative way to offer children in the District better educational opportunities, and that is why I support them.

I think it would be a tragedy if this program were eliminated at this point.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

What percentage of the District schoolchildren are now enrolled in charter schools?

Too much of a revolving door.

You, Mr. Chairman, raised some very important questions about the accountability of those funds, so I'm pleased that the board has answered those questions in this letter.

We do need better teachers, we do need better principals, we do need adequate funding.

we've got to be able to assess the impact of that investment on the students that we're serving.

That's why I'm such a strong supporter of the D.C. public charter schools and of the Opportunity Scholarship Program.

I think empowering Michelle Rhee's office, as the chancellor of education for the District of Columbia, would be a good thing.

I have seen FEMA really improve in this area.

Fraud in FEMA programs has been a problem. We saw rampant fraud in the wake of Hurricane Katrina.

I remember Senator Landrieu bringing up the issues of the impact of designating an area as a V-zone many times.

If you are confirmed, will you commit to establishing a more collaborative process when FEMA is updating its flood maps?

the president's top aides are still very deep into the negotiations with Senator Olympia Snowe.

My experiences in Maine really brought me to understand how much this can change a legislative body and how much it can change all of the members of that body.

I am a staunch supporter of this bill and will summarize my testimony and submit my written remarks.