Tom Carper

I believe that climate change is not only real, but that it is one of the biggest challenges facing our world today.

I always say that is a false choice. We can have a cleaner environment, we can have a stronger economy.

I hope that is an indication that you and your team are raring to go because believe me, we are and have been for some time.

I believe there are three essential elements to solving our Nation's financial challenges.

Before I yield back to Senator Johnson, just to followup on Senator Coburn's last point, I called over to your office, I think the day that your nomination was confirmed in the Senate just to let you know and to congratulate you.

For more than a decade, our country has worked to promote effective emergency response systems that help cities and States to mitigate the effects of a terrorist attack.

I am Tom Carper, and I approve this message.

Just as we did in the aftermath of September 11, 2001, we must learn from the Boston Marathon bombing.

We will examine the preparations made by the city of Boston and by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts to deal with a crisis of this nature.

What can we do on our side, our end of this government in the legislative branch, in this Committee, what can we do to help the Census to do a better job, better results, more accurate, but not for a whole lot more money?

Our focus should not be so much on how much we want to fine people for their failure or refusal to actually participate, but try to better explain why the American Community Survey is important, why it is of value to our country, and why…

Some Governor in some State, has wrestled with this issue, they have figured out how to deal with it in an effective way, and we have to find that State, that person, figure out how they do it, and see if it is something that could be…

The Committee will come to order.

I think most people in this country, if you said, how would you like to be Director of the Census as opposed to being a movie star or a Senator or whatever, people would probably have other--Dr. Coburn? [Laughter.]

I believe I recommended to this Committee that he be considered to be the Director of the Census Bureau.

The last census cost almost $50 per person to count. It is ridiculous.

I think Dr. Groves has done a good job in redirecting the organization.

As a recovering Governor, I often think of States as good laboratories of democracy to test and perfect new ideas.

I think they use a star rating system.

On the other hand, Medicare fee-for-service programs to allow beneficiaries to compare quality among hospitals and providers appear to be, at least to us, outdated.

I want to talk a little bit about Medicare Advantage plans, if I could.

We want to make sure that the improper payments that are being paid continue to be reduced.

One of the things I heard from a couple of you today--I think we have heard from a couple of you today--is that there is still a need for CMS to conduct stronger outreach and education.

I do not know if anybody else on the panel would be interested in doing this, but what about the idea of convening a teleconference call to just continue this conversation, because, between the three of you, you can help us make some real…

One of the things they do for us is, about every other year they come up with something called a high-risk list.