Joe Barton

Is it a socioeconomic factor that a project might bring thousands of high-paying jobs to a region?

I will say that she puts the best face possible on a terrible decision that her department has made.

Time and time again we hear about President Obama's commitment to American-made energy that creates jobs and reduces our dependence on foreign oil, yet he rejects a no-brainer like Keystone XL.

Mr. Wolf, in your comments you repeatedly said gambling, you never once said poker.

The bill I have introduced is a States' right bill and it allows the States to make the decision.

Poker is a game of skill.

The bill that we are hoping to mark up in this subcommittee deals only with Internet poker.

UIGEA in my opinion is unenforceable, needs to be reformed.

I support everything he said.

If there is no subordination and a company goes bankrupt, which Solyndra did, then the taxpayers get repaid first.

If you don't subordinate this loan guarantee and Solyndra goes bankrupt, the taxpayers are first in line to be repaid.

I do think you're a man of integrity. I think you're trying to do your job as the best that you can.

Nowhere in the law, nowhere in the definitions does it say that that program is to subsidize the loss of principle.

What guarantees do we have on behalf of the taxpayers that changes are going to be made in the existing loans?

Why did the Obama Department of Energy reverse the Bush Department of Energy decision that the Solyndra loan guarantee was not ready for prime time?

Rarely, if ever, have I seen a more mismanaged program than the Solyndra loan guarantee.

If you're asking me the question, yes, sir, I think he broke the law.

I do share that sentiment with Chairman Waxman.

I have a letter from Alfonse D'Amato that was written to you on November 7, 2011.

I hate to be the Republican that spoils the garden party, but the current system is in place for a reason, and that reason is that people do protect and want to protect their privacy.

I want to thank the sponsor of the bill, Mr. Terry, for yielding some time to me even though he knows that I am in opposition to his bill.

I just want to thank you for taking this time to speak on this subject. I think it's commendable that you would do that, and I think you're exactly right. I would encourage you to keep telling the truth as you know it. And how proud we are…

What we want to prevent is somebody using it unfairly, and in a real-world situation when you walk into the casino, you can't take a pocket computer with you.

Now, you can get 1,000, 2,000, so anybody with any sense at all who--to use your term, Professor--a recreational poker player, you are going to be an absolute idiot to go online and get into a high-dollar poker game.

I want to refocus. You know, we are kind of letting the tail wag the dog here.