I really do hope this is the beginning of good, respectful engagement and dialog on this issue.

you usually can't get everything you want. You usually can't get everything you deserve

ANILCA does mandate the Federal Government to provide for a meaningful role in management.

I think it is important that we understand what we're talking about here when we're talking about a subsistence lifestyle, and how Alaska Natives, rural Alaskans are feeding their families when you don't have access to a store.

Legislative changes, I think we all recognize, are tough to achieve anymore.

we're willing to sit together, listen to one another, engage in a respectful manner

the opportunity today to have a discussion, to begin a dialog about what happens with the management of our lands, the management of our lands that sustain our people, is really quite significant.

The passion that people spoke to was much the same, and, Mr. Chairman, you note that.

To identify your cultures, but, really, your spirituality with your food source, I think, is something that is important.

the responsibilities that I have to the people of the State of Alaska, so many of them, come back to our lands.

I really do believe that if we were at the table, I mean, we're reasonable people.

It seems to me we have Federal statutes, Federal laws and you've got an administration that is choosing to interpret or give priority again to some Federal statutes at the expense of others.

this is a very State-specific issue, and the fact that we are holding this as part of a full committee I think is indicative of your willingness to recognize the high priorities that are assigned in specific states.

I don't have any illusions that by holding this hearing today we're going to solve, with one fell swoop, the issues as they relate to management of our wildlife in this State.

We may have a lot of issues as it relates to subsistence in areas of disagreement, but it seems that the one area where we agree is things aren't working as promised.

I appreciate your explanation. But I think it does speak to the issue that I have raised which is ensuring that the FERC is absolutely independent and that the leadership at the top remains so.

We have some issues that we need to resolve.

I think it's been noted that Dr. Robinson and Mr. Connor, neither one of you fielded the questions to the level that Mr. Binz did.

I appreciate that, Mr. Chairman.

I will express my concerns about your nomination to the committee.

So I think it speaks to the significance of the nomination that we have here today to be chairman of the FERC.

I don't know why historically it has been an issue, but FERC has had not too stellar track record when it comes to responding to formal inquiries from this committee.

I will raise one quick issue though. That is the--during your tenure as CFO of NASA there was a situation where there were a series of documents that were subpoenaed.

We recognize that FERC is independent by law and by design.

It is critically, and I will emphasize that, critically important for us to enable the agency and its professional, non partisan employees, who report to the chairman as their CEO, to maintain its strong culture as an expert agency, free…