it is not inappropriate to raise a question.

Shouldn't there be protections in place to protect workers, in case there is a pandemic? Shouldn't we be prepared.

Now we have finally found something we agree upon. That is as ridiculous as it sounds.

It impacts directly upon juvenile crime. As does the $55 million cut in the Job Corps.

We are right in the middle of our new immigration bill, which is a very high priority for the President.

Well, it looks to me as if the rejection of that petition may have been decided by someone at a lesser level than the Secretary.

These reentry programs and the legislation that is pending now on second chance, these, I think, are of the highest priority.

I share the concern about the budget. I know we live in an era of severe budget constraints.

We will provide the kinds of resources you need to the maximum extent of our capabilities, which is now more limited than it used to be.

The budget resolution does contain an increase this year of $1.3 billion and Senator Harkin and I added an amendment to increase the budget resolution for $2.2 billion more.

Do we have to be in the middle of the pandemic before the rules are issued?

I regret that I have to excuse myself. We are very heavily engaged right now with the U.S. Attorneys.

What should be the governmental response, either through the Veterans Administration of the Department of Defense?

There is a willingness to spend money for incarceration.

I am interested in how we get my colleagues to spend money for corrections.

Well, we will continue to work with you, Madam Secretary. We have been for a long time. These are big, big problems. We want to do our best to try to solve them.

If the pie were a little bigger, we would be able to give more to your requests.

Well, Madam Secretary, I can understand the problem of the backlog, especially when the funding for your Department is cut.