Mike Lee

Consumers have a right to be skeptical.

Lawyers are not cheap, as it turns out.

It is too intensely competitive, and you cannot cover your costs of capital by starting up a new airline.

The 2010 Horizontal Merger Guidelines state: 'A primary benefit of mergers to the economy is their potential to generate significant efficiencies...'

I thank Senator Klobuchar, the Chair of this Subcommittee, for holding this hearing.

The U.S. airline industry touches the lives of almost every American in some way or another.

Our country has benefited greatly from airline deregulation ever since that began in 1978.

We have seen reduced service to certain mid-sized cities.

It is improper, rather, for Federal agencies to pick winners and losers in the marketplace.

Air travel is also an important element of our national infrastructure, and it is critical to our economy.

They want as many possible choices, and they want choices at affordable prices.

Mergers are an essential element of our rapidly changing economy.

Our Subcommittee, which is tasked with oversight in competition policy and consumers rights, must conduct a thorough examination of this transaction.

Not every State has been so lucky.

The guidelines also make clear that antitrust officials should credit merger-specific efficiencies...

The purpose of our antitrust laws is to maximize consumer welfare.

Congress must take seriously any activity that will seriously and materially affect the airline industry.

The best way to protect consumer welfare is through robust competition

I understand that you have testified in the past with regard to a number of other mergers in the airline industry, and you have recommended against them and, nonetheless, the Department of Justice, under Republican administrations and…

If everyone in the United States benefits from Federal land ownership than shouldn't those--isn't it a little bit unfair to make those who reside in those few States pay for what everyone else benefits from?

The Federal Government is, by far, the largest land owner in the United States.

I would really appreciate it if you would commit to me that you would advise the President that it's best to work with locals affected by broad decisions like that in advance of making such a decision.

If you're confirmed to this position, please be sensitive to these local communities.

This is not a burden that should be borne solely by those Federal land rich States.

This land ownership does have benefits for American people everywhere irregardless of where they live.