I have done a lot of radio interviews and I have told folks that I don't know that we are any safer today by combining all these agencies under DHS, and our border is still insecure.

This may be for the next Congress, but we ought to have an operational control hearing to delve more into what that looks like.

Thanks for this hearing as well.

I apologize that there is not more active participation today.

I think there needs to be discussion and I am asking questions, what are some alternatives we could do instead of taking Agents that have been trained that have a National security mission, should be on the front line.

We have illegals coming in this country. We have another element coming into this country illegally, walking across our border, and that is a DHS term of OTMs, other than Mexicans.

Energy is a passion of mine, and American energy independence, the energy renaissance that we have experienced is something that I have advocated for.

The export of natural gas is critical to the American energy sector.

Should it be a crime to report a crime? Many top officials in Washington seem to think so, at least in the case of Edward Snowden.

But I will say that what we see in this country with these acts in San Bernardino and Fort Hood is radical Islamic jihad, radical Islamic terrorism.

We need to realize that no fly, no buy also violates the Fifth and Sixth Amendment guarantees of due process.

I look forward to hearing from our witnesses on how the U.S. efforts in the Caribbean can improve.

I believe it is critical to work with our neighbors to mutually promote economic growth through trade liberalization.

To me it is a win-win situation.

We have adjourned for the August recess break and we wanted to continue.

I think there is great opportunity. I talk about jobs, energy, and the founding fathers all the time.

I want you to know that I have heard you.

I don't believe all the solutions we need start in government, but we need people doing things that only individuals can do.

I don't believe that we can throw Charleston into the same mix. I believe that was a law enforcement issue.

Seismic testing has been done all over the globe for decades, not a single verifiable instance of a marine mammal being hurt or killed due to seismic activity. In fact, I am on the Natural Resources Committee. We got Abigail Hopper's own…

To ignore their struggles--our struggles--does not make them disappear; it simply leaves you blind and the American family very vulnerable.

I believe, and many others in the intelligence community that I have talked to, many others in the defense industry say if you can't identify an enemy, it is very difficult to defeat the enemy.

I would like to recommend to my colleagues that they view Senator Tim Scott's floor speech from yesterday.

I tell people in my district all the time that we all don't hate each other up here, though some people out in the country seem to think that's the case and that everything is so partisan and divisive.

There were 1.12 million Federal employees engaged in activities that could be provided by the private sector.