dr. burgess s recognized for five minutes. >> thank you, mr. chairman. and, again, ms. jackson, let me thank you for indulging us a second round of questions today. you may be familiar that members of the texas delegation, a bipartisan basis on this committee, met with mr. sunstein of office of management and budget right before the august recess concerning the cross-state air pollution rule and the seeming insensitivity to the problems that exist in our state. so have you communicated with mr. sunstein and the office of the management and budget about these regulations and the burden that they impose? >> i'm aware that the meeting happened, and i believe we had staff from other relevant program at the meeting. >> and so what should members of the texas delegation expect as a result of your discussions with mr. sunstein? >> well, we've also, not me personally, but my deputy, met with, i believe, members of the delegation -- i believe that's right last week, but i know he also met with the tcq, we've had several meetings i've been in, too, with luminant, and we also have

dr. burgess the gentleman from texas for one minute. >> thank you mr. chairman. again i thank the gentlemen for being here. a question for both of you mr. harrison mr. stover in today's "new york times" article about this problem administration officials like -- someone may curse question whether the firm's executives cover-up their precarious financial condition. an aide to a top white house official valerie jarrett was met with three times to push for laws. would you be willing to provide to this committee communications between yourselves or your senior executives with members of the west wing of the white house specifically ms. gerrit, carol browner and rahm emanuel or their staffs? >> on the vice of my counsel i invoke the privilege afforded to me by the fifth amendment of the united states constitution and i respectfully decline to answer any questions. >> mr. stover same question. >> on the vice of my counsel i invoke and respectfully decline to answer any questions. >> the gentleman's time has expired. the gentlelady from tennessee is recognized for one m

dr. burgess. you are not meant to speak, dr. burgess. >> doctor melzer, you talked about the cost of medical care in the last months and weeks of life. i'll tell you something, for a number of years, the principal problem we have is the lack of transparency on the part of the patient. they don't tell us when that last two weeks begin so it's difficult for us to balance our decisions. along that line, you talked about the cost drivers contained within medicare and medicaid. you talked bt perhaps changing things so that they don't take away future benefits. i'll submit within the health care realm, there's probably $1.3 trillion in immediate savings that will not take away future benefits and that would be the implementation of the affordable care act which no one seems to seriously consider when they have these situations or when they talk to the president. is that something that this congress should take under serious consideration? >> yes. >> thank you. we also talked to -- any of you, did you talk about the -- i talked to a num

dr. burgess of texas. >> there you go. >> you're not meant to speak today, dr. burgess. [laughter] >> probably with good reason. dr. meltzer you talked about the cost of medicare for patients in the last months even weeks of life. i'll just tell you as somebody who practiced for a number of years. the principal problem we have there is the lack of transparency on the part of the patient. they don't tell us when that last two weeks begins so it makes it very, very difficult for us to balance our decisions. but along that line, you talk about the cost drivers contained within medicare and medicaid. you talked about perhaps changing things so that they don't take away future benefits. i will submit within the health care realm, there is probably $1.3 trillion in immediate savings that will not take away future benefits and that would be to delay the implementation of the affordable care act, which no one seems to seriously consider when they have deficit conditions or when they talk to the president. is that something that this congress should take under serious considerati

dr. burgess, do you want to take five, 10 seconds? >> yeah, let me submit my entire opening statement to the record. want to remind the administrator as we have had to remind every cabinet secretary, every head of the federal agencies that although you work for the executive branch, congress is coequal. when we ask for stuff, you need to produce it. we have been stonewalled in this committee over and over again in those states have to stop because the american people are asking serious questions. they want answers and it's up to this committee to get those answers for them. >> i thank the gentleman. >> mr. chairman, and i stress the gentleman from texas to provide for us examples of where you can epa has stonewalled, not now, but for the record because this statement has been made and baked to see representation. >> particularly title ii. >> i would like to see documentary -- >> victim friend from california is recognized for five minutes. >> thank you, mr. chairman. this is our seventh year in and will be told by our colleagues acros

dr. burgess, do you want to say something? >> yes. i want to put my entire statement in the record. although you work for the executive branch, congress is a co-equal branch of government. when we ask for stuff, you need to produce it. we have been stone walled in this committee over and over again. and those days have to stop because the american people are asking serious questions. they want answers. and it's up to they committee to get the answers for them. >> i thank the gentleman. and now we recognize -- >> mr. chairman, i'd like to ask the gentleman from texas to provide for us examples of where you think e.p.a. has stone walled, not now by for the record because this statement has been made and i'd like to see verification. >> title 42 regulations. >> i'd like to see -- i'd like to see documentary -- >> the gentleman from california is recognized for his opening statement for five minutes. >> thank you, mr. chairman. this hearing is our seventh hearing on regulatory reform, and we'll be told by our colleagues across the aisle, e.p.a. needs to do a better job. well, we'll hear

dr. burgess. >> thank you, mr. chairman. ranking member degette referenced the fact that going back to the bush administration, this discussion was going on in the department of energy. i do want to take a moment to point out that the credit committee at the department of energy, january 12, 2009, the last days of the bush administration, the day after their meeting, it was a unanimous decision not to endwage in further discussions -- engage in further discussions with solyndra at this time. we all know the bill was about projects. it appeared that the shovel that this project was ready for was to bury it somewhere. yet it was resurrected. i believe in redemption. i believe in the afterlife, but i don't believe this was the wisest and best use. i do want to convey the message to the members of the administration that when this committee calls, you respond. when we ask for documents, you produce them of the when we schedule a hearing, you show up. we are a co-equal branch of government. we have a responsibility to protect the

dr. burgess. >> your referenced a moment ago about the costa care for patients in the last months. -- the cost of care for patients in their last month. the principal problem it is the patients. they do not tell us when the last two weeks began. but along those lines, we talk about the cost drivers contained within medicare and medicaid. you talked about changing things so that they do not take away future benefits. i submit within the health-care realm, there is problem $1.3 jury in an immediate savings that will not take away future benefits, and that would be delaying the implementation of the affordable care act which no one seems to seriously consider when they have a deficit commission or talk to the president. is that something that this congress should take under serious consideration? >> yes. >> thank you. and for any of you, i thought to number my community members, and the community bankers tell me that they are hampered high that fact that they must keep their loan to deposit ratio under 80% or will they -- or they will invite a visit from a bank examiner and it may not be ple

dr. burgess is recognized for two minutes. >> i want to thank the minister appearing today and i want to note that they are here a -- voluntarily -- the witnesses for perring today and i want to know that they are here voluntarily and not by subpoena. i am disappointed that we will not get answers today. you will assert your rights under the fifth amendment. mr. chairman, we've been trying for months to get this information out of the department energy and office of management and budget, and it is a shame that this committee has been stonewalled, it is a shame that this committee headehad to resort to a subpoena in july of this year to get this information, and that passed on a party-line vote. i suspect there are several members on the other side of the dais would like to have the vote back in light of what we now know. what we i think it was a good thing -- i wish we could have gotten more. mr. markey, in march of 2010, at this table, one of your subcommittee hearings, the assistant secretary of energy told the committee that all of the money for these energy programs was obligated an