Mike Johanns

I think it jeopardizes a whole bunch of things under the Broadband Plan.

In South Korea, it is the same story. And I could go on and on through each agreement and show that what they are about is bringing tariffs down for our products that we are paying today. Well, I have given this speech now I think twice on…

I've never seen a merger that--and I've been in this business 35 years--where people haven't lost their jobs.

I fail to see how fewer airlines providing services results in a more competitive atmosphere.

Can you guarantee this Committee, either one of you, that no employee will lose their job as a result of this merger?

If I could focus on one area of ESEA. I am going to ask your help in trying to figure out how this area impacts Indian Country and schools in Indian Country, and that is turnaround policy.

We need to get this right. We need to keep our promise, meet our trust responsibilities.

We need more flexibility in the system so that tribes can address the needs of their students in a way that is relevant to them, to their culture, to their community, while still meeting or exceeding national standards.

We must ensure that our education system serves all students, including those in Indian Country.

This is something that the VA is really going to have to help us with, because we are putting money out there.

Our goal here is to have VA deliver timely, quality health care services to our veterans.

I applaud that. I am very interested in hearing about the progress we have made in the past year.

Providing health care to rural veterans is critical, especially in States that are rural, like Montana, like Nebraska, Alaska.

I want to express, if I could, how much I appreciate the opportunity for the purpose of this hearing to act as Ranking Member.

I think we would all agree it would be great to have a cardiologist and a psychiatrist and an oncologist in every area of our States.

I think we all agree that greater use of technology is essential.

Like most Americans, I grew up with a tremendous amount of admiration for Neil Armstrong.

MIKE JOHANNS, Nebraska

I had the most remarkable experience. I walked in here and everything you were saying, Senator Franken, I think I agree with.

I think this is an opportunity for us to maybe open up an avenue of economic development that has been untapped.

This is not a question of whether these things are good or not good. Much of what Senator Dorgan says, many of us, myself included, could agree with.

I appreciate the fact that you take on these tough issues because this is a tough policy issue.

I think you have been handed your hat in your hand by the Comcast case.

We are literally getting to a stage in our history where the cascading amount of debt is like a huge snowball that now is gaining enormous momentum as it comes down the mountain. It is just growing bigger and bigger.

I appreciate you all being here. You all have, I guess, a different view of the world.