"The State Department's diplomatic readiness has been consumed by current operations and now it must focus on rebuilding its capabilities."
"We need to do everything we can at the federal level to make sure that we are partnering with the states."
"Education has been the great equalizer in my life."
"I believe it is important. The transparency, as General Clapper has mentioned, is critical, we must be held accountable on this."
"Security clearance reform has been an important oversight priority for this Subcommittee."
"I am particularly concerned about the lack of progress being made regarding reciprocity."
"Thank you very much, Senator Burris. I will have a third round here..."
"These standards had not been updated since 1995 and little has been said about the updates."
"I have always believed that the Executive Branch could get DOD's clearance process off the High-Risk List, and I want to see that happen."
"General Clapper, you testified that the Department of Defense has begun to use electronic automatic adjudication..."
"A big welcome to all of you. Thank you very much for your patience."
"It is important for the Committee to understand the remaining challenges."
"I applaud the efforts of VA employees in Hawaii."
"There is always room for improvement."
"I was concerned, of course, when the legislation which was providing necessary State match drawdown of $15 million of Federal assistance that Senator Inouye and I also helped to secure was vetoed."
"We need to help the most vulnerable, because that, after all, is what I view is the purpose of government."
"However, the pain that working families in Hawaii have felt would have been much worse had the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act not been enacted."
"The recession has caused too many families in Hawaii to suffer from a job loss, a reduction in hours, a home foreclosure, a bankruptcy filing, an inability to obtain credit, or the elimination of stat..."
