John Dingell

Am I somewhat dense in not understanding why we would want to see to it that FDA has the authority that it needs to carry out its responsibilities in the best way possible?

I have long believed that the FDA does not have the people, the funding or the authorities it needs to properly oversee an increasingly global drug supply chain.

Those new authorities are very, very important.

Each time this legislation has been extended, it has been extended with the active support of the industry.

Food and Drug does not have the resources to do this.

But you would advocate that FDA do have such authority?

You don't have the resources, do you?

Does the prescription drug user fee agreement currently provide resources for preapproval inspection? Yes or no.

I would urge my colleagues not to drive away members like me by moving too fast on this.

I think the Canadians are going to do this whether we like it or not, and they are either going to build a pipeline going west or going south.

It was to depoliticize the approval of projects and to see to it that we had the information we needed.

I would caution that if you speed it up too fast you are going to re-politicize this and make a fine mess out of the thing.

we could hurry this process in a way which is going to create lots of trouble and wind up ultimately with a delay or veto or profound litigation that could go on for years.

Did DOE hire experienced people in loan programs to do the analysis on loan applications?

Was that process open and transparent?

Did DOE hire experienced outside consultants to help in analyzing industries, markets, and other areas of concern to the Loan Programs Office?

Are you aware of any of the 186,000 documents that were communications between DOE and the White House?

As a matter of fact, I did with my good friend Mr. Upton, we submitted it together for a project in Michigan.

So it's correct that DOE or the Loan Programs Office only examined the merits of loan applications and did not consider any influence from the Congress or the White House, yes or no?

Did the Loan Programs Office share information with OMB and Treasury during due diligence process?

Did you have any personal communications with President Obama, with the Vice President, or campaign donors or others who had financial interests in Solyndra?

Without that step, you would not have been able to get any private money to assist the Federal guarantee in saving Solyndra; is that right?

Isn't it also true that the 20 States that exempt certain religious employers from having to cover contraceptives that they allow them to be exempt from providing contraceptive services?

Now, I note in the testimony that I have heard this morning, I have heard no complaints that what we have done here is to expand the right to abortion or to change the basic language of the legislation in the Affordable Care Act on that…

The interim rule issued by HHS on August 3, 2011, regarding coverage of preventive services under ACA included language that exempted certain religious employers from covering contraceptive services without cost sharing.