Saxby Chambliss

Let me just assure you that there will be bipartisan support on the Hill to see about the implementation of that plan.

I urge you to address this early and to really figure out innovative and creative ways that we can make sure it gets to those people that you talk about that do not have the resources to come in with a huge grant writing capability.

I think we have some serious decisions that we're going to have to make with respect to what I treat as basically recommendations coming out of DOD.

I fully believe that it is not the threat of enemy aircraft, but the threat of enemy SAMs and their proliferation that represents the true threat to our forces today.

This is a budget-driven decision, which means that somebody's going to be at risk.

One thing that has been of real concern to me from the standpoint of putting additional regulations in place is the fact that we might stymie, No. 1, innovation on the part of bright minds in the marketplace that are thinking of additional…

There has been a lot of conversation and critique of the markets over the past year with respect to what is called 'excessive speculation,' and that speculators drove up the physical commodities to record high prices.

Does your firm use the ICE OTC clearing?

It is going to be a lot cheaper to fund you to regulate than it will be to go through another situation that we are trying to recover from now.

It is the folks that are in the business every day that have the understanding of this rather than those who deal with so many other things on a daily basis.

Obviously, there is a difference between manipulation and speculation.

There seems to be a perception out there that the only derivatives that need to be customized are the very complex and most complex products.

I do strongly believe that the Senate Agriculture Committee and the CFTC must be engaged in the development of any legislation addressing financial regulatory reform.

Well, what data is used to support your assessment that oil prices should have been falling last year when most expectations and market analyses showed prices continually increasing throughout the year due to geopolitical uncertainties…

Well, thank you, Mr. Chairman, and you are right, it is certainly above my brain's capacity to understand all the complexities of this industry.

Well, having been in business myself, I have never made any money without taking a risk, and I just think it is extremely difficult and would be extremely expensive if we tried to take the risk out of it.

I agree with you that certainly posting more capital is going to lower the risk...

We are not going to put additional obligations on you without providing you additional funding.

If there is something with respect to those Interstate Compacts that you think we need to deal with legislatively, I wish you would give us some recommendations there.

I appreciate Senator Graham's comment about TRICARE, and your responses are pretty interesting.

There is no reason, Ms. Smith, you ought to be required to fund private school for your children because schools in Washington, DC are inadequate.

The National Guard and Reserve Retired Pay Equity Act

We appreciate your service. We understand that a commitment to the military is a family commitment.

It is unfortunate we did not build more nuclear plants 20 years ago because it has turned out to be the most efficient, cleanest way we can produce it.

The rural electric programs are vital to the nation, and especially to my home state.