I just want to bring this to the attention of this Committee, that moving communities is an option if the communities are small enough to move...

I cannot figure out why more of my colleagues do not appreciate just the numbers on this.

Will you use your authority to approve some construction for fire stations and police stations?

One of my goals is to get a highly qualified and well-trained reserve force for this Nation.

I think this area is still ripe for aggressive reform.

I have said before it is our goal to get every American in this country access to affordable health care.

I support the Administration's initiative to clamp down on smuggling-related crime and violence at the U.S.-Mexican border.

There unfortunately seems to be a need for better coordination of the Federal Government activities in the border region.

I want to urge you... to make sure that the competition between the agencies of the Federal Government that we noted there be brought to a rapid halt.

North Louisiana has been especially hard hit, in particular, in the last year alone, with more than 2,000 manufacturing-related layoffs.

I hope that the series of these hearings will help develop some strategy and call attention to some of these issues.

I think it is very important for small business to have a seat at the table when these major negotiations are going on.

Under education and training, the State has received $718 million through the Economic Recovery Act for education and training.

I want our manufacturing sector in the whole Nation to be strengthened.

So I think that our laws, particularly as from our perspective, from Louisiana's perspective, need to really be sensitive to the many challenges that families are dealing with to stay intact and to keep that check or checks coming through…

the recovery package--and President Obama and his administration feel very strongly about this and have invested $7 billion for the Nation.

I think there is another story to be told.

Our hearing today is looking to provide a snapshot on the impact of manufacturing closures on North Louisiana communities.