John Thune actually said...

I guess I would ask of you is, as you take these issues on, that you take into consideration the impact on rural areas.

I hope the Commission can put a stake through the heart of that thing once and for all.

I look forward to continuing to work with you upon your confirmation on a lot of issues.

The captain had a history of multiple FAA certificate disapprovals involving flight checks conducted before his employment with Colgan.