James Oberstar

FEMA has consistently failed to meet the expectations of the American people and Congress.

We need to revitalize the economic development representative staff.

It is a national historic treasure. It is being rebuilt.

I was disappointed, frankly, over the last eight years that there were so many political appointees in this very small agency.

It works from the bottom-up. It doesn't get its direction from the top-down.

What has been remarkable to me is that although various administrations have proposed to cut back or even to repeal EDA, it has survived all those assaults not because so much of the astuteness of members of Congress but because of the…

But various administrations, the Reagan Administration starting, and then Bush I and Bush II realized that the way to kill the EDA is to kill the EDR.

Yes, I was present at the creation of EDA. Actually, it started under President John F. Kennedy as an experimental program called the Area Redevelopment Act, ARA.

The lesson is CRM: Crew Resource Management.

First Officer Skiles's training, as Chairman Oberstar pointed out, assured that they worked as a team.

Your management of the immediate impact and the aftermath of that impact, and the tragedy, are testimonial.

I see an increasing number of vehicular traffic on the air side of airports, and it really troubles me.

I think the actual work onsite went very quickly.

If we had proceeded with this program on a massive scale nationwide, we would be way farther ahead than we are today.

Every State Department of Transportation...has a stewardship and oversight plan for management of their regular program.

And by government getting in in a big way into acquisition from the private sector of off-the-shelf technology, installing, creating jobs, you will reduce the unit cost even further.

My focus all throughout has been very, very directed, very narrowly trained on putting people to work.

We, in our House-passed version, just allocated a total sum to GSA and said you distribute it on the basis of projects that are ready to go.

the anti-trust immunities we wouldn't do that for General Motors and Ford and Chrysler, and we shouldn't be doing this for airlines, frankly.

Every State Department of Transportation... has a stewardship and oversight plan for management of their regular program.

I am familiar with Cape Air.

This is a vitally important hearing, all the witnesses and all the organizations in one shot at this.

It is the highest priority for us after the stimulus.

the immunized alliances are going to result in three mega global carriers who will not compete with each other, who will not provide service to communities at the end of the spokes in the hub and spoke system, which will diminish…

I have to be an advocate for the public interest.