I want to make sure that it's a fair system that's competitive, but maybe in a rural-to-rural versus rural competing against--Kotzebue competing against Los Angeles, we lose.

How does this compare to the TIGER grants, or are they two separate--or is this kind of the merging of it into a more formal, sustainable program?

I think it's $182 million for the EAS funding--the Essential Air Service program. As you can imagine, in Alaska, that is critical.

I'm interested in--I said '60,' in my statement, and it's 66 new employees for NHTSA.

I'm nervous about waivers. Just so you know, because that--you know, when you have a huge project come along in a small rural area, it's a hard--it's hard to compete, to be very frank.

Our focus is on safety, and the comparison and the shortfall of the comparison between safety people available for all forms of transportation in NHTSA and just anything else.

The clock is ticking, and I would not hesitate to be radical about your decisions and be forceful on a timeline.

But, what I'm saying is I remember this conversation very well because I compared it to zoning law changes, as a former Mayor, when you come up with a comprehensive--this is what this really is--it's water zoning.

Senator Nelson, you were a former Governor, you know what I'm talking about.

I do believe if you set the criteria for the contractors, they can do that.

To me, five is a dream.

if you do not change the culture, that's going to be your problem.

What's your timeline?

I appreciate you all being here. I am anxious for your comments.

I'm new to this; I've been here a year-and-a-half.

the system you have right now is totally dysfunctional even though it works to some degree, because it varies.

if you don't do that dramatic change to something that now--I've heard now, it has gone on for 10 years.

this is probably our biggest threat--warming waters, ocean acidification for Alaska's waters, which control 62 percent of the fish stock of the country.

I think it's important if that final report comes out and doesn't have any of that, honestly I will say it's a flawed report.

there's none in Alaska waters.

We would never do land zoning without understanding the economic impact of those government decisions.

Senator Begich requested a written policy related to recalls.

Could you provide that to the Committee, based on this process that I now understand?

I represent the State of Alaska, and many of our residents live in very rural parts of the state.

What on the--what in the Japanese government is going on in regards to what they see we're doing here?