Olympia Snowe

It's not so much that you're doing it in Catch Shares, as where you're taking it from.

It doesn't even acknowledge what our fishermen have been doing: following for many years the scientific and regulatory of ICCAT and their recommendations, and now they're going to pay the ultimate price.

I find this counterintuitive at best.

There has to be a level of urgency, very aggressive, assertive leadership, and a timetable for which to accomplish it.

I think it's staggering, to be honest with you.

I and 14 of my colleagues sent a letter to you and to Fish and Wildlife stating our opposition to listing the tuna.

I'm not arguing so much for or against the Catch Share as I am arguing about where you're drawing the money from.

I understand the pain and agony right now in your fisheries, and we have a lot of lessons that we have learned in Alaska waters.

Our fisheries are being devastated, as you well know. I mean, absolutely devastated--barely hanging on because of the Federal regulations.

I truly am disturbed about the lack of certainty with respect to this type of decision, on which we should have the very best and most accurate information.

It is shocking when you consider our mortality rate has not decreased and new treatments and an early detection test are still so desperately needed.

We have got to know. It's got to be independently verified.

Yes, we're looking at it now, but where were you then?

This is a matter of life and death. That's what I don't understand.

We have an obligation to determine precisely where these massive breakdowns occurred that obviously with both the company and the Federal agency that failed to do their own due diligence.

They are by no means cured.

That's clearly an emphasis that we have to make.

What accounts for that? Is there any reason for that, or does it just happen to be the way it is?

I think it should be elevated so we have that conversation, and that--more importantly, that he reports directly to the President of the United States.

Yes, we've got to give the President the right to intervene. And that's controversial.

The problem is so pervasive, so overwhelming.

Government intervention is needed to help those things to work.

I also want to take this opportunity to commend you for your extraordinary leadership on this paramount issue for the security of our Nation.

I'm sure you've all heard about last week's Cyber ShockWave exercise. I watched.

Moreover, our legislation reflects the recommendations of the Center for Strategic and International Studies' Blue Ribbon Report that was issued to the President.