Amy Klobuchar

In 2012, international tourists added nearly $130 billion to the U.S. economy and generated more than $19 billion in federal, state and local tax revenue.

Thank you, Chairman Schatz and Ranking Member Scott for holding this important hearing on strategies to bring more tourists to the United States.

I worked hard with several of my colleagues to ensure that the Recreational Trails Program was preserved in MAP-21.

I would echo what some of my colleagues talked about with the Highway Trust Fund and how important that is.

The national unemployment rate of 6.3 percent has dropped almost 4 percentage points since the height of the downturn.

The recovery has not been as fast as we would like, but I will say that after a long, hard winter it is good news that the employment numbers are picking up.

To hit the lowest unemployment rate in 5-1/2 years is a positive sign.

The economy has added jobs for 50 consecutive months.

I look forward to your testimony on the short-term and long-term issues facing our economy.

What is the USDA doing to ensure that the margin insurance rules reward farmers for taking prudent risk management steps?

I do not think I need to tell you. I know you know what a hard time diary producers have had over the last few years with the high feed prices, the volatile export market.

I think these both provisions, I know Senator Chambliss worked on one of these very important.

The Farm Bill, as you know, included a significant compromise between Ag organizations and wildlife organizations that extends conservation protections to the crop insurance program.

The average age of a farmer in Minnesota is now 56 years old, and what we did here was reduced the cost of insurance by 10 percent for young farmers and ranchers in the first five years.

I actually got a provision in the Farm Bill for a joint study with USDA and the Department of Transportation to examine rural transportation issues including captive shipping issues.

I think we all know it was not an easy task and I thank the Chairwoman and our Ranking Member and everyone that was involved in.

You said that TSA is transitioning the TWIC database and card production system to the new TIM system.

The expansion is good, but we just continue to be concerned if it doesn't work.

Thank you very much. Thank you, Administrator, for your good work.

In November of last year, Senator Ayotte and I wrote you with a concern regarding the timeline for the implementation.

I believe that Senator Klobuchar's bill S.1472, which creates a Regulatory Analysis Division in the non-partisan CBO, is the best solution.

It is critical we prevent regulatory burdens from interfering with the delivery of life-saving products.

I personally would like to thank Senator Klobuchar as well as Congressman Paulsen for their leadership on behalf of patients and the companies that serve them.

I believe that Senator Klobuchar's bill, Senate Bill 1472, which creates a regulatory analysis division in the nonpartisan CBO, is the best solution.

Senator Susan Collins, Republican of Maine, and I introduced bipartisan legislation requiring a look-back to assess whether the regulation is actually meeting its goals.