there is not a greater civil rights violation than to say you are transporting somebody to freedom and then rape them along the way

He has raised the important questions. It is not in a partisan manner but, in fact, to protect the very document that he and I are sworn to protect.

Senator Durbin and I can work and accomplish through our colleagues in the Senate and the House, what has happened over the last 2 years.

When you create doubt or you sow doubt... I think he does himself and his administration a disservice.

None of us want to handicap our President in terms of the advisers that he can have, and to clarify, we want him to have the best and brightest.

I do not see it as a partisan issue.

H.R. 3697 and H.R. 3742, bills whose enactment would have amended Section 19.

It is not just foreign oil that jeopardizes our energy security. It is all oil.

[Climate change] will magnify existing tensions in critical regions, overwhelm fragile political, economic and social structures, causing them to fracture and fail.

I find it curious that there is in fact a new engagement policy in light of the violent crackdown on widespread demonstrations in Burma in September 2007.

I understand that the Obama administration has apparently reexamined past approaches to our relations with Burma, and has decided upon a new policy of engagement.

Most threats to children are a function of behavior and lifestyle and are largely preventable.

I believe the best way to protect children's health is to use the best available science to properly assess risk.

Despite what some allege, children are not always at greater risk from carcinogenic compounds than adults.

As a father and grandfather, protecting the health of children--born and unborn--is a personal priority.

opening statement

your input today and the input to the Committee and the Members over the coming days and weeks, perhaps months, is critically important.

the Administration's proposal to regulate the over-the-counter derivatives markets will do nothing but increase costs.