The Federal Government plays an important role even though we rely primarily on the private sector.

This is a very timely hearing. Thank you for doing it.

Are there things then that we should be doing from a policy standpoint to promote mining those minerals here rather than importing our entire use?

That is pretty sobering, isn't it, when you say it is seven years in the best case for needed energy, to move energy around the country.

We have to build that relationship with landowners which I believe we do.

Madam Chairman, it really is a rubix cube, isn't it?

I ask unanimous consent that all time be yielded back. The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tempore. Without objection, it is so ordered. All postcloture time is expired. The question is, Will the Senate advise and consent to the Benczkowski…

This is the issue and it is a very, very important pressing issue.

We all have to work together because we have to get the energy from where it is produced to where the consumers are.

I come to the floor this afternoon to talk about the Nation's first line of defense against hunger--the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP. Since day one in the Senate, I have fought to pass a farm bill that stands up for…

I probably have put a lot of pressure on the Chairman to look not just at the coast, but look at the Midwest.

first, I want to acknowledge and thank Chairman Pat Roberts and Ranking Member Debbie Stabenow for their incredible hard work and commitment to draft such a strong bipartisan farm bill. We would not be here today if it weren't for their…

I think that no one benefits when the advice is not vetted, when the advice is not accurate.

I ask unanimous consent that Alexis Young, an intern in my office, be granted floor privileges for the duration of today's session of the Senate. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.

I think it is important that we not ignore some additional legislative tools, whether it is additional incentives to work with the States...

The frustration that I have is that we come here and we are picking around the edges and getting distracted without really thinking about the overall structure of oversight.

We need a structure because if we just deal with taking care of the waste, fraud, and abuse of today, there are going to be other opportunities for waste, fraud, and abuse.

Well, time is wasting.