Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

I do think the one thing that we could not do, and I think it would be dereliction of duty, would be for me to say we are not going to go forward and do the things the law of the land now tells us to do because I am going to somehow act as…

I will mention that this Congress, or a previous Congress, has wrestled with that same difficult task.

My obligation as the chairman of this committee is first and foremost for the District of Columbia to ensure that we do no harm to the District.

I ask unanimous consent that a statement prepared by the individuals or group of individuals currently residing in McPherson Square as part of Occupy D.C. be placed into the record in its entirety.

Mr. President, I would like to announce for the information of the Senate and the public that the Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations of the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs has scheduled a hearing entitled…

Mr. President, the coming year is certain to be focused on two problems: the need to restore prosperity for American working families, and the need to reduce our budget deficit. Our challenge is to accomplish these goals together, and not…

Thank you very much. I thank the gentlelady for her kind remarks, and I also thank Congresswoman Christensen for her leadership. She serves as the first vice chair of the Congressional Black Caucus and has led on so many issues in this…

But Mr. Chairman, we always are looking for ways to collect any overpayments.

Thank you for the work. Convey that message to all the folks back home.

It means getting back every penny in Social Security overpayments.

The increased funding for program integrity within the SSA... is a very good step in that direction.

I hope we don't leave the impression that we don't think you are working hard.

It sure would be nice, though, to see more consistency in Congress's commitment to payment accuracy.

We owe it to American workers to safeguard their contributions to the Social Security trust fund.

I came here today wanting to wish everybody a happy new year. But when I came, I found out that our Republican Congress wanted to give everybody an unhappy old year, continuing last year's agenda of no jobs for you. They ended last year…

Madam Speaker, permanent structural reforms are needed in Washington. The Nation's debt is now greater than the value of the entire U.S. economy. Nonpartisan economists have noted that a debt to GDP ratio above 90 percent results in a…

Mr. Speaker, first of all, let me just say to the prior gentleman who spoke, Mr. Jones, that I appreciate him continuing to call for the end of the war and occupation of Afghanistan and bringing our young men and women home because, of…