I think to allow workers the opportunity to invest voluntarily in an account that will give them a guaranteed return, I think would be something that would be of enormous value to the country's workers at very low risk.

I understand your offices are currently held in the Treasury Department, right?

So why do you think other people would want to come in?

But did there used to be more competition in this market?

Thank you very much, Chairman. Thank you for holding this important hearing.

So that is your core concern here?

I would like to know whether this merger will raise ticket prices and whether the proposed merger will make it harder for independent concert agents to market and promote lesser known artists at smaller venues.

I would like to hear from our witnesses whether the proposed merger will make it more or less likely that this and similar anti-consumer practices will go unchecked and unaddressed to the detriment of consumers.

The outcry even led to the passage of a State law in my home State called 'The Hannah Montana Law,' which bans the use of automated software designed to quickly purchase numerous tickets in a matter of seconds.

Didn't you say for a time you were going to be a competitor to Ticketmaster and many industry observers thought you could siphon off something like 15 percent of the market?

So do you think the merger will bring the prices down for the tickets?

How do you think these small venues are going to continue to attract artists to their sites if the venue is not owned by or affiliated with your large combined company if the merger is approved?

Well, that Ticketmaster has made. Because the numbers I look at show that tickets have been going up.

I know with Senator Cantwell's leadership with the work that she has done with oceans, and the Chairman's leadership here, I am hopeful we will be able to get something done.

I look forward to working hard on the issues before this committee facing this Congress.

You also indicated your support for the creation of a National Climate Service within NOAA.

I believe the work of NOAA's Great Lakes Environmental Research Laboratory is essential to properly sustain the Great Lakes' ecosystems.

I just wanted to give voice to it because it is true that there is a general concern about the state of our financial services industry.