I urge the Commissioners to move forward on an aggressive timetable to get this proceeding done.

I have been disappointed by the administration's politically motivated scare tactics on this subject.

I want to thank you and Chairman Rockefeller for holding this hearing.

Making sure that our first responders have the spectrum and communication networks that they need to keep us safe is, frankly, an incredibly proud achievement for this committee.

I believe that two other areas are absolutely critical for government and industry to come together to address some pressing needs: first, the construction of a nationwide interoperable public safety network that our first responders are…

I ask unanimous consent that I be allowed to speak as in morning business for up to 12 minutes. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered. Economic Growth

I come to the floor to speak about spending and its impact on economic growth. I think it is important Washington closely considers the true impact Federal spending and our soaring national debt are having on economic growth. Over the past…

To wrap up and put this into perspective, Federal spending has increased nearly 20 percent since 2009. Sequestration, the across- the-board spending reductions which will occur under the sequester, amount to a reduction of 2.4 percent out…

I look forward, along with you and with Senator Coburn and members of both of our committees, to examining the need for a greater cybersecurity partnership between the private sector and the Federal Government.

Many in the private sector are already doing the right things to protect their systems, and should not be diverted from those efforts through new requirements.

I thank the Senator from Kentucky for yielding for a question. I appreciate his diligence in continuing at this late hour to get an answer to some very important questions. I think many of us when we got up and came in this morning were…

Trade secrets developed over thousands of working hours by our brightest minds are stolen in a split second and transferred to our competitors.

we are hearing a lot of discussion here in Washington and around the country this week about the so-called sequester, which I think bears some explanation. Oftentimes we talk in terms and in such a way that I think ordinary Americans have…

Mr. Chairman, thank you.

I applaud your dedication to these issues.

I think the one area, although you and I have different positions on the Affordable Care Act, in its passage--one thing that I think we all agree on is that more transparency is a good thing.

But, I suspect that there will be a period, probably of a decade or so, where we will be adjusting this bill according to, you know, common sense and reasonableness, while still driving toward the purpose of transparency.

How do you take into consideration regional differences, in the disclosure process?

Thank you, Mr. Chairman, for holding this hearing.

That'd be fine, yes, thank you.

I think it's going to be a problem, too, as we settle into--I mean, in effect, it was last year--October 31, I think--when the Affordable Care Act actually went into business, became operational.

I come to the floor today to talk about the fiscal challenges facing this country, and particularly the spending problem we have and how it impacts not only the economy but also the lives of the American people. Last week, the nonpartisan…

I, frankly, am one who believes that we need to do away with it.

The goal in all this should be getting the rates down, promoting economic growth.

This is a big issue. This is going to be very hard.