Mark Pryor

Clearly, consumers are at risk of being swindled during this time, and they absolutely cannot afford to be bilked out of their savings and make disastrous financial decisions due to deceptive practices and fraud.

I think we'll have a robust discussion about that as we do our FTC reauthorization over the next several months.

Senator Wicker, if you'd like to make an opening statement, that would be great with the Subcommittee.

It's great to have you here today, and thank you.

I call this hearing of the Consumer Protection, Product Safety, and Insurance Subcommittee of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation to order.

The Chinese drywall case is an illustration of how much easier it is to fix the problem before it comes into the United States.

And, Ms. Tenenbaum, we really, really appreciate your interest in public service, and your willingness to take on this Commission.

I certainly hope that wasn't the case. But I would definitely hope that, as long as you're Chairman, you'll be very politically neutral.

I want to work with you to use wisely the 71-percent increase in the budget that you've provided for this coming year.

I have called for, early this year, a complete audit, like I said before, of all FCC operations.

When you look at a merger or acquisition in a given industry, there could literally be billions of dollars at stake.

We need a Commission that can ensure that our Nation's communications infrastructure is sufficient to reach all consumers.

I have great hope for what technology can do to help parents here.

You also need to, obviously, look at the consumer and whether the consumer will benefit.

I just think that the public policy goal of a more diverse ownership spectrum is a good national goal that we should continue to try to do.

That can get very, very difficult if not impossible.

One of the concerns there would be by creating a new office are you creating another layer of bureaucracy or another little section of the maze there, or are you really cutting through some of that and streamlining your operations?

We just don't have enough doctors in rural America.

The Medicare reimbursement rates are often much lower in a State like Arkansas.

There is no more expansion space here on Capitol Hill.

So it will be at capacity in the next few months?

Great. That is music to my ears. I would love to be part of those discussions with you and try to figure out how we can proceed from here.

We have to take steps every single year, and I appreciate your leadership in that effort.

The feedback from the Arkansas Department of Education and educators in our State are very positive on that and we appreciate your help.

Last year, Senator Harry Reid and I had a bill, we called the Graduates Act, and basically what we were trying to do is come up with a way to incentivize and reward, innovative partnerships to try and keep people in school with the public…