It is an important program. We have a history in this country of making sure that the lowest income among us have access to basic communication services.

Because whether they are Democrats or Republicans, they don't exist yet. They are the children of tomorrow.

But right now we are a little bit below average, but historically it has been about 18 to 20 percent?

there is a lot of outdated things we would like to get off the books.

Unfortunately, what has seemed to come to pass is the testimony and the writing have not given what we have seen take place in the marketplace with the increase of regulations.

There is nothing more important for families around this country than the quality education of their children.

Regrettably, the two bills we are examining today do not reflect those values.

These states aren't just running away from the one-size-fits-all approach of NCLB.

I am a proud co-author of that law.

presently the NNSA laboratories are under severe stress in their ability to perform their vital missions because they are substantially and increasingly constrained by the manner in which Federal management and oversight is implemented.

In my view, good safety management starts with the perspective that there is no such thing as an 'accident'--safety incidents are the consequence of breakdown of one or more of the safety systems.

I concluded my written statement to the committee with three 'Ts': restore TRUST, eliminate TRANSACTIONAL oversight; and TURN OVER management to the people you hired to manage.

I believe that safety and quality are critical ingredients in everything we do; it is a continuous focus and is as important as breathing.

Even one injury is too many because it means that a friend or colleague has been hurt.

The report of children out of school--if you were Hispanic in this country your chances of suspension, I don't know how many times.

And when I came to Congress if you were in a wheelchair you could not get into the classrooms.

But the fact of the matter was that we know at that time that students were counseled--parents were counseled that you might want--if you need a doctor's appointment we are only testing today so take your son or daughter to the doctor.

Seems to me you can't quite have it both ways.