Many of those in the industry have spoken about the meltdown and the housing bust.

Can you talk a little bit about the impact that a narrow qualified residential mortgage definition could have on excluding first-time homebuyers from purchasing a home?

It is a matter of getting it right, though, and not... going so fast that we cut off our nose to spite our face.

What are you doing by way of negotiation to exert this country's considerable leverage to ensure that our agents assigned there have the means to protect and defend themselves?

I want to be absolutely sure that if my members endure and embrace the risks to go over to Mexico and fight this war that they will have full diplomatic coverage and the peace of mind knowing that God forbid they make the ultimate…

I will say this: While the FBI stats may show that the overall statistics on violent crime may have gone down, violent crime committed against us, law enforcement officers, increased over 41 percent last year and is increasing beyond that…

If we send an unarmed agent to Mexico without full diplomatic status, and they are murdered like Jaime Zapata, how does our country demand extradition if the killers are caught?

Cooperation with the Mexican government is in the interest of both countries, as is an integrated law enforcement approach to effectively target and defeat the cartels.

To call them advisory--gentlemen, they were targeted and attacked for who they are--not for what they do, but for who they are as U.S. law enforcement officials.

You know, Chairman, I applaud you for characterizing these organizations as they should be: Narcoterrorists.

But we don't seem to have a plan or a strategy for Mexico and I think that is the thrust of this hearing is: What should that plan be?

That is less than we are currently spending in Afghanistan on any given week, and yet I think the stakes in Mexico and the relationship in Mexico and the United States are enormous and certainly of National security implications.

The narcoterrorism in Mexico is extremely sophisticated, well thought out, strategically planned.

Much work remains to be done, as evidenced by the continuing violence.

I think the situation has become so dire down there and such a crisis that it is my sincere hope the politics will change on this.

If we have a 2,000-mile border with them every day there is about $1 billion of trade between the United States and Mexico.

I don't think we are doing enough to control the flow of weapons into Mexico.

Our focus needs to change. The profile that we give nationally to this issue needs to change.