The new authorities granted to tribes through the Sandy Recovery Improvement Act allow for major disaster declarations to be made directly to the President without having to go through governors.

In recognizing the challenges of tribal communities as they prepare, respond to and recover from various disasters requires collaboration and cooperation.

I say to my chairman on the Veterans' Affairs Committee, we talked very briefly on the phone. I wanted to come down here because I find this amazing. I am new around here. I know it has been almost 6 years. I still consider myself new in…

I had a note here on how long it takes some of the regulation process to move through FEMA.

My frustration is not with you or FEMA. It is with the White House and their ability--or inability.

At some point, you have to close them out.

Again, I do not mean to monopolize your time, but I want other people to be thinking about these answers as I am walking through them with you.

Do you think there is a formula that should be looked at instead of a one-size-fits-all?

OK, because it is an obvious thing what happens, is we hear from people and they go, 15 years, that money has been sitting there.

I was in the Matanuska Valley recently, which is just outside of Anchorage, and 40 percent of the maps are inaccurate.

Thank you very much. I have three standard questions in regards to your nomination, the first question is: Is there anything that you are aware of in your background that might present a conflict of interest with the duties of the office…

Let me just say, I had a small disaster in my house in Anchorage and the insurance company made sure I closed it out.

I kind of ask you this and maybe, Joseph, you can answer this, too--is there an opportunity to have a hybrid partnership, maybe that between local governments or State governments to utilize these kind of bonds in conjunction with disaster…

Because the disasters are bigger, or that is what we are doing?

I think it is great you are looking at this.

In a broader issue, the issue--and I have had a hearing on this and some other discussion regarding mitigation, what is happening with climate change, the impacts it is having on more severe storms, more costly storms, or disasters, I…

Come to Alaska. We have one every week, it seems.

So, that is basically saying you can then analyze did they perform to what we believed was their qualification.

By itself, it is bad.

I think they create quite a bit of potential for both States and local governments to be able to access money to help them rebuild or deal with a disaster response.

If I give it back, I will never see it again.

But I am concerned that FEMA may not be able to handle this at this point.

I also understand the gaps in productivity and innovation and overall progress that can occur when key positions are vacant.

I would hate to see that take 8 years.

I say that in a polite way. You will feel that on a regular basis.