The cost of this care is high.

For the first time in over a decade the Senate will be taking a close look at the American health care system and enacting reforms to help improve coverage, access, and quality of care for all Americans.

The 13 million American children below the age of 18 living in families with incomes below the poverty level is a stunning number in and of itself.

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

I have worked hard on the Summer Food Program.

I think these issues that involve children, just like we made progress recently on children's health insurance, this issue, as well, I think is a matter of basic justice for children and for families.

And I appreciate this opportunity for us to examine, with these experts, the national security challenge that we face with regard to Iran, and also to explore the options.

We have an obligation in the Congress, in both parties, to do everything we can to provide some peace of mind that comes with retirement security.

I appreciate you calling this hearing, and appreciate the presence of the new ranking member, Senator Martinez.

We will make sure even if we're not here for the whole hearing that we review, and try to incorporate the testimony in our work.

I know how worried people are. I have some sense of the anxiety that they feel, and this issue is critically important.

The housing issue is really at a crisis. We have got the manufactured housing on the ground all ready to go and can't move and people don't have housing.

I think it is enormously important for this very important department to have a focused jurisdiction.

Mr. Chairman, thank you for convening today's very important hearing on copyright licensing in a digital age.

I want to thank you for holding this hearing, and I am conflicted because I am in between Homeland Security, but this is very important to me.

I would like to invite you to the region. I welcome what you are doing in the Gulf region with the Secretary of HUD.

I look forward to working with you, Madam Chairwoman, and the others on this Committee to try to structure legislation which can be enacted this year.

I think the evolution of the views of President Bush on the threat of global warming are highly significant.