I would like to call attention, before I get into the questions, to two charts that I think are very telling.

FEMA should be the driver. FEMA should be the motivator, the communicator.

I would suggest, respectfully suggest to you, look at this program that seemed to work amazingly well.

I think this would be important.

I am proud and happy to Chair.

the government at its own peril fails to recognize the importance of these schools.

This isn't 4 years. This is 2 years.

In November 2005, I led the effort, along with Senator Kennedy and Senator Enzi--and without the support of these two Senators, I have to say publicly, it never would have happened.

I would challenge the Federal Government to try to figure out, where are they?

And I also understand that Catholic Charities, which is a very reputable and large and capable nonprofit, stepped forward to provide case management.

Well, we will never have children in my parish unless I open and provide a space for them.

Local response plans must be provided for evacuation, sheltering, and continued care of children from facilities where they are likely to be clustered at the time of the disaster.

Getting your workforce back to work after a disaster is one of our primary goals.

I do believe that FEMA is a partner, but I would say that FEMA is the leader.

I agree with that, and I think your analysis that it has been a FEMA-centric approach and it needs to change to where FEMA is the lead of the team.

It is tragic that children attending public schools in our Nation's capital receive sub-par educations.

I want to be very supportive of the reform efforts underway and to congratulate you all for what you have done thus far.

It is critical that we review and assess how education reform has impacted student achievement in our Nation's capital.

I am hopeful we will proceed honorably in a manner that respects and strengthens the government-to-government relationship between the United States and Alaska Natives.

For the past 19 years, I have worked with Senator McCain, Senator Murkowski, Senator Dorgan, and others as part of the Senate Indian Affairs Committee to protect and advance this unique trust relationship with our Nation's first Americans.

Congress established the SBA 8(a) business development program to connect the growth of American business enterprise directly to the needs for goods and services of our Federal Government.

It seems to me that security systems only work if people are willing to use them.

We need to reevaluate it because it is not working.

While the objectives of REAL ID are laudable, the law represents an unworkable and unfunded mandate.

PASS ID provides a solution and a path forward.