Susan Collins

If the Federal Government is to compete with the private sector as well as with State and local governments for the most talented members of our workforce, and if our goal is to create a loyal, dynamic Federal workforce for the future…

Opponents of our bill raise the issue of fraud, of people trying to get benefits by pretending that they are in domestic partnerships

If the Federal Government fails to attract or retain employees because of a lack of competitive benefits, then the impact of these retirements will be magnified.

The title of this hearing really says why we have introduced this bill.

I believe that our legislation will help to promote a strong Federal workforce.

Do you think that this document is misleading to consumers?

I can tell you that if you told seniors or if you told Federal employees today, as you did, that you can change from 5 to 4 percent, it will protect your core benefit, there will be, quote, no change in current benefit levels, they would…

This failure is certainly no model and it is no way to set an example for private sector employers to follow.

This is a real problem, and I must say I too think that the head of OPM should be here today.

This is simply unacceptable, particularly given the fact that OPM began to recognize the real possibility of increases as early as 2003.

The Federal Government should lead the way.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

But that is nowhere on this document.

I have to tell you that I thought that your testimony here today is as misleading as these marketing materials.

Just following up on that point, we have done a lot of work with State and local governments, and with our private sector partners to improve the response because obviously if you are a terrorist and you think a community is unable to…

I just again want to thank our witnesses for all of their work--they have all been working on it for quite some time--and to assure you of our determination to get the kinds of reforms that we all believe are needed signed into law.

It is startling to me that you could present the regulator with the report showing such serious problems and no action was taken, but that is what happened.

I suspect that the cultural differences are also reflected in the regulators.

It seems to me that when you went to the CDC a year ago and showed such glaring deficiencies in just basic security measures, that the agency should have acted immediately.

As Senator Collins said, our adversaries are not sitting in the stands waiting to see what we do.

Too much of a revolving door.

Senator Durbin has, understandably, brought up many times, and that is looking at testing.

I don't see the need to treat the Opportunity Scholarship schools differently. It seems to me accreditation ensures a certain level.

The charter school movement in the District appears to have been extraordinarily successful.

That is real progress for these students.