It's my understanding we do have authority on petroleum-based above the ground storage but for some of the other contaminants and chemicals, we do not at the current time.

I want to congratulate and thank Senators Boxer, Manchin and Senator Rockefeller in the Senate for quickly introducing legislation that deals with some of the fundamental issues with which we have to be concerned.

When a company fails to perform, they should be held accountable.

The system did not work on January 9th in West Virginia. The system failed.

What do we do about that?

It is our responsibility to make sure that expectation is, in fact, carried out, both at the Federal, State and local government levels.

I particularly want to underscore the point that Congressman Rahall made about our colleague, Senator Rockefeller. He has been a real treasure for us in the U.S. Senate.

Thank you. I appreciate the cooperation we have in this committee. We try to do everything we can in a non-partisan manner because it involves the public health of the people of this Nation.

Our first priority is to do what we can to prevent these types of episodes from happening again in our country.

In West Virginia, it was not a petroleum-based product that caused the problem; it was a cleaning product?

This is an issue of federalism.

Madam President, I ask unanimous consent to speak as in morning business. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered. Income Inequality

Madam President, on Tuesday evening, President Obama, in his State of the Union Address, made the point that America must be the land of opportunity for all. He acknowledged, quite frankly, that for many families in this country the…

I want to know what you are doing to enhance the change in Vietnam and other countries on basic internationally recognized human rights protections.

We do not always have hearings that are this--Senator Hatch, I know you are always respectful, but sometimes there is a little bit more disagreement than we have here today.

It is going to be a challenging commitment, and we look forward to continuing to work with you, but in a different capacity.

We will certainly miss your incredible leadership on this committee in bringing Democrats and Republicans together as we should.

I find that very disappointing. I think, as I pointed out before, there is mutual benefit.