Mike Enzi

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I appreciate that.

I continue to be amazed by the questionable and sometimes outright illegal practices occurring in this for-profit sector.

Actually, I used to use a 'secret shopper' kind of concept in the retail business, and it's valuable to find out what people are really doing.

As Senator Enzi mentioned, they were not all bad, and some provided some good practices.

I believe that understanding how each sector of higher education relates to the other is the best way for us to ensure that students are protected and that the taxpayers are getting the best return on their investment.

I want to remind everyone that Congress has just committed to making an increased investment in Pell grants.

The department's proposed rule that would eliminate the safe harbors would really put the teeth back into that statute.

I think we need to keep two questions front and center: Are these schools serving the best interests of their students?

I think they did a pretty good job with their photography.

Did the schools run into a problem with getting jammed up on people wanting specific financial advice without knowing whether a student had enrolled?

OK. Now the GAO investigation shows admissions representatives refusing to allow perspective students the opportunity to speak with the financial aid office.

I'll begin with Mr. Hawkins.

The biggest threat to long-term economic output is the debt, is it not?

The financial regulatory bill... is forcing a contraction in credit across this country because it was misdirected.

Every small business person I talk to is just worried to death about their coming costs in healthcare.

Every family, every business, local government, State governments across America right now are cutting their budgets and they are basically wringing out the waste.

The stimulus package was misdirected. It was a massive expansion in deficit and debt.

The Federal response in this area has been woeful, misdirected, and, unfortunately, has probably aggravated the problem.

It is the politicians that decide which groups to pay more.

The American people... are looking at our Government and saying it isn't part of the solution. It is the problem.

If we can sit here and honestly say that we do not think there is at least 10 percent waste in the Federal Government, then that is a completely preposterous statement.

I'm the Ranking Member on the Senate HELP Committee, that means that if we were in the majority I'd be the chairman.

I remember when I was in junior high, the Russians shot up Sputnik, and we found out we were behind.

There seems to be some interest and agreement that, since the Governors are putting together the core standards, as opposed to the Federal Government, that it might be more acceptable.

This is a much better venue, I got to pick all of the witnesses.