I am committed to working with my colleagues to protect small business owners from this burden before it goes into effect in 2012.

Without question, federal, administrative, and regulatory burden on businesses large and small continue to grow every year.

we are going to continue every day, all day, to try to get this 1099 problem resolved

I want to be very clear that the intention of holding this hearing is not to attack the Americans With Disabilities Act.

I think frankly, more than just having confidential or private conversations with the IRS and Treasury, I think you should submit public comments on this very question to the Department.

We are going to try to repeal that piece of the healthcare law which will not affect healthcare policy at all.

What I disagree with is that the flood insurance program, acting as if a system which may be below, say, a 100-year level, doesn't exist.

We think this is a sound plan that needs to move forward.

Administration after Administration--whether it is Republican or Democrat--basically won't touch much of that money as really a game to mask the budget deficit.

I don't think it is fair to take the current FEMA and Corps position that a levee system that is a meaningful system but doesn't match the new 100-year whatever requirements are treated as if it doesn't exist for purposes of flood…

I would encourage all of us to push the Corps and the Administration.

We think it is sound. We think it is the right path forward for the Nation.

Thank you, Madam Chair. Thanks to all of you again for great testimony.

Mr. Speaker, in just a few weeks, the Obama tax hike time bomb, otherwise known as the expiration of the current tax cuts, will explode, resulting in the highest single tax increase in U.S. history. For some, it is tempting to accept the…

Nobody has learned more about levee safety than folks in Louisiana for obvious reasons.

the safest levee is the one that is never built.

I am really pleased that Senator Akaka indicates that he is going to continue to stay on top of this so that those of you who are here testifying today know that we are going to stay on top of this and he is going to stay on top of it…

I have gotten to know Senator Akaka and his wife, Millie, and his family, and so I just again want to thank you, Senator Akaka, publicly here in my own State for your friendship over the years and the work that we have done together.