Peter Welch

This is pretty outrageous. This is a big deal.

It sounds like you are stonewalling because this is like Business 101.

These are credibility questions, but there's also an economic policy question. There are two assumptions in this budget. One is that austerity will lead to prosperity, that getting the debt down by any means possible and any cuts possible…

I really applaud you all for that effort.

Vermont has been a leader on the enhanced 9-1-1 and it has been helpful.

We have to get real here. I mean, this is a big problem for the country.

It is terrific of the Chair to have this hearing because it is tough to get a hearing before this committee and subcommittee.

I am asking you what are the things that we are doing or policy-wise that are getting in the way of you being able to succeed in taking on that challenge?

The third thing that I would do, is that any unspent money needs to come back to the Treasury

I believe it is the case that these investments have been enabled, to some extent, by public resources including the Universal Service Fund and the RUS loans.

But is it the case that extending infrastructure to every corner of our country, and especially in rural areas--and a lot of us on this committee represent rural areas--always require some public resources in participation?

I also wanted to thank Hon. Peter Welch of my home State of Vermont for his continuing dedication and attention to the needs of Vermonters who are unserved and waiting for reliable high-speed broadband connections.

Congressman Burgess has been very much--on his own personal situation, very much focused on energy efficiency and has some skepticism about steps that government takes that are either unnecessary or get in the way.

Congressman McKinley and I are working on efforts to try to provide incentives to homeowners.

Congressman Burgess has been very much focused on energy efficiency and has some skepticism about steps that government takes.

Congressman Gardner and I are really focused on these energy saving performance contracts.

By the way, having this hearing on efficiency this early in our congressional term is tremendous.

JELD-WEN has come and it is a manufacturing facility that has created 800 very good-paying jobs in Windsor County.

I am extremely concerned about proposed cuts to federal investments in these areas, including what we would see under sequestration.

The not-too-distant past shows how government action can move markets.

What you do in Washington can have a positive or disruptive impact on our industry.

We have got Mr. Saxton from JELD-WEN here, and JELD-WEN is a company with a national presence, but it has two facilities in Vermont and has been a great contributor to our Vermont economy.

Many of us on this committee represent rural areas, both Republicans and Democrats, and many of the challenges that folks face in rural areas...

We have a very serious debt problem in this country. We have a very serious jobs problem in this country. Both of those serious problems are solvable. The impediment is political. This is exhibit A of a dysfunctional Congress. The…

I demand a recorded vote. The Acting CHAIR. Pursuant to clause 6 of rule XVIII, further proceedings on the amendment offered by the gentleman from Vermont will be postponed. Amendment No. 5 Offered by Mr. Markey The Acting CHAIR. It is now…