Daniel Akaka: “I am pleased by the efforts the Department has taken and the importance it has placed on this problem.”

Thank you, Chairman Brown. Thank you very much for holding this hearing today and for all of your work on consumer protection issues.

We must also reaffirm and acknowledge the Department of Education's Federal trust responsibility for American Indian and Alaska Native students.

I am proud of the work we have accomplished on this Committee through both legislation, such as the Dodd-Frank and the Credit CARD Acts.

Last Congress, bipartisan legislation was introduced by Senator Daniel Akaka (S. 998) and Representative George Miller (H.R. 1867) to address this problem and assure that all pilots are provided fair benefits.