There are a lot of other people in the world who have good brains. There are a lot of other people in the world who work hard.

The reckless shutdown has eroded confidence in the United States as a steadfast supporter of science.

The unanimous view of the Committee members participating in this preparation of this report is that our Nation's outlook has not improved, but rather has worsened.

I think that's what has been suggested to me. But let me start with exactly what I'm asking you to consider doing, and that is to authorize the appropriations committees to finish the job that the Congress started in an overwhelming…

That's not the value system that I support.

But the people who need to know about it are Members of Congress who have appropriated $400 million.

Senator Ron Johnson has introduced a bill that he calls If You Like Your Healthcare Plan, You Can Keep It.

Wouldn't that solve a lot of problems and reassure many Americans that they can have affordable healthcare?

It's a law transforming our healthcare delivery system in the wrong direction.

Why don't we put the President's words into law and say, 'If you like your plan, you can keep it,' and end the debate?

The law cancels millions of individual policies.

If we can know how many hamburgers and cars and records are being sold every day, why can't we know how many people are enrolling in Obamacare.

Obamacare said if you didn't meet the standard for maximum limits, you couldn't offer that insurance anymore.

The value system that he likes, I believe, is a value system that transforms our healthcare delivery system in the wrong direction.

The President has said repeatedly... 'If you like your plan, you can keep it.'

Obamacare is canceling their policies.

CoverTN has been a lifeline. With the discontinuation of CoverTN, I'm being forced to purchase a plan through the exchange.

Everything is OK, is not acceptable to this committee.

I would say to Senator Mikulski that I am proud to have been a graduate of Vanderbilt, but I am proud to have been president of the University of Tennessee and it is important that I make that distinction when I go home.

We are dead serious about this and it is a bipartisan approach, and we would like to get results on it.

The goal of innovation in higher education is to, No. 1, improve student performance; No. 2, increase retention rates.

We need to find ways to say, 'OK, let's weed the garden, before we do some more.'

But the more important thing for today's hearing, as a result of Tennessee's outcome-based formula, Austin Peay is the No. 1 public university in Tennessee in terms of increased funding.

I join Senator Harkin in thanking you and your family for what you are doing, or as he said, turning your anguish into such constructive work on behalf of other people.

I look forward to the hearing.