I believe the President has all the rights to pick who he wants, but also he survives and dies based on your work, so it is on your shoulders.

Because that is what matters, is what flows to the owners.

I think it is fair to say that when you sent out your letter some 6 weeks ago, there was a great deal of angst about this hearing, the direction that you were taking with it, and a real concern that a program that has really yielded…

The story of Alaskan Native people is one of unprecedented success.

As Senator Begich has noted, our Native people live in some of the poorest, most geographically and most economically isolated places in the country.

So there is a different responsibility.

We have to invest in those, too.

The issues we explore today are vitally important for my constituents and especially for the Native people of Alaska.

So I guess when you say explosive, you are----

For those of us who believe in the free market system, as I do, the transition to the private sector is especially admirable.

When I look at the women-owned business in 1 year alone, they grew almost double.

Our Alaskan people understanding waiting and being patient.

Do you see any difference in the sense of what they should be able to do or not do?

I do not disagree. I have been in small business for 25 years.

Right. Do you see a difference there in the sense of how they generate contracts and value...

But why didn't you restate that, then, if that was such, as I saw, an important piece of the equation?

But it was, I think, especially toward the end here, a very positive opportunity to figure out what is the right thing to do for the long-term benefit of not only Alaskan Natives but American Indians and Hawaiians and all of us together.

I believe Alaska Native participation in the 8(a) program overall has been one of the most successful programs this government has done.

ANCSA corporations are among the State's top employers, providing jobs for more than 30,000 people.

Yes, but your analysis here kind of makes it sound like they have these huge contracts and they are making this huge amount of money.

Thank you very much for your comments regarding broadband and how important that is in the placement in Alaska.

We appreciate New Jersey being a very large donor state to the Universal Service Fund.

But it does drive some questions for me. And I appreciate the Ranking Member's effort in this area, and I actually support this idea.

I am absolutely supportive and I am a beneficiary of the E-Rate program and will do all in my power to see that it is enforced.

telemedicine is a very powerful tool, and it is very valuable in a lot of ways.