These are astronomical costs that our older citizens are not always aware of or able to pay for.

Mr. Chairman, thank you very much, and I want to commend you on presiding over this hearing and highlighting this important issue.

The percent of children in poverty increases to 21 percent in children below the age of five.

I have worked hard on the Summer Food Program.

Let me acknowledge--I think it is Sheriff Jenkins--just to thank him for his work.

Thank you very much, Mr. Chairman, for holding this hearing, and let me acknowledge each and every one of the witnesses as patriots and individuals who love this country, and we respect that.

I think this is a budget that does take very seriously concerns about our debt and about the deficit.

In large cities with multiple multicultural communities, it is very difficult to extract information on violent crimes or human trafficking when there is this sense of intimidation.

There is a predicate if we have evidence of torture. Torture is a violation of our law. Go after them.

I don't think we have answered that. That is true, and we need to improve that.

This is an important issue and I wanted to take a moment to provide you and the committee with my perspective.

When this idea of the so-called truth commission first surfaced, I said it was unnecessary because you had a change in administration.

I have repeatedly said on the Senate floor that the period from 9/11/2001 to the end of the Bush administration has seen the greatest expansion of executive power in the history of our country.

I think that is really the generalization, although I would not mind looking backward if there is a reason to do so.

My position is that we should have comprehensive immigration reform.

So showing up at a laundry with a raid and you have your uniform on, that would spill through the community and keep you from finding the MS-13 or anyone else that you might try to find.

I appreciate that, because I think all of us are being asked by our communities, our business community in particular, how do I know this, and we are trying to have it all put together.

The fact is that we are concerned about the deficit. I want to make that very, very clear.