Olympia Snowe

By all accounts, this is the worst post-recession recovery in the history of our country.

It is not only the concerns about the facts today that are eroding the confidence of the private sector to invest.

My biggest concern is that we have not created an environment of confidence, as represented in this budget here today.

We have already increased the national debt by 44, 45 percent under this administration.

We are going on to the fourth consecutive year of historic annual deficits.

We need to have that strong relationship with Pakistan.

And obviously it's deeply troubling in terms of the direction that they're taking.

Well, how will we decide that they have integrated all of these components in a decision to weaponize; at which point?

Iran has issued various threats with respect to the Strait of Hormuz.

What will be our red line?

There's an opportunity here for American innovation, creation of American industry, creation of American jobs, and we believe in a safe and sustainable environment.

I wanted to ask Dr. Stotish about the fact that obviously there have been significant improvements in the traditional selective breeding of the salmon and aquaculture.

I wasn't suggesting it's your responsibility; it is on the agencies and whether or not we should construct a process that requires NOAA, for example, to be a stakeholder in this process, not just sort of an ad hoc, informal participant.

Do you believe that the goals of zero risk of escapement, or of 100 percent sterility are attainable?

I think that is essential, without putting the population at risk.

With so much uncertainty about the impact an escaped genetically engineered fish could have on the wild population we've gone to such lengths to protect, clearly we must proceed cautiously.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman, for calling this hearing today to explore the environmental risk posed by commercial aquaculture of genetically engineered salmon.

I want to thank all our panelists here today for giving some thought-provoking issues to consider in this unprecedented issue that clearly raises a number of concerns and questions for policymakers, and obviously for this country.

For Maine, these risks cannot be understated. Wild-caught fisheries are a fundamental part of our heritage.

I think it's clearly important to do everything we can to maximize the availability of spectrum.

I happen to think that in order to have a true analysis of what exists in the spectrum, who is using it, by whom, how much is available, that we should have an inventory of the spectrum.

I think it's really a clear opportunity to make substantial progress in the short run.

The private sector should be strategically relied upon to deliver next-generation weather services

There was a strong partnership between NOAA and the Coast Guard during the Deep Water Horizon oil spill.

So will you be going up to the 1,600?