What was the preparation you undertook before that testimony?

I think you actively misled me and the Committee.

I thank the Senator. With access to Tier 1 capital, I believe that the community banks that participate in this program will be able to provide small businesses with the credit they need to grow and hire. Deduction for Health Insurance…

Seacoast is a small bank. It only has $130 million in assets. According to this banker's testimony to me yesterday, he is going to take this bill and all of its provisions, and he believes he can leverage $180 million in SBA loans to small…

Madam President, I know we are getting ready to vote on a very important piece of legislation--the Small Business Job Creation Act--that we have actually been working on now for a year and a half. It is hard to believe that a year and a…

Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that the order for the quorum call be rescinded, and I ask unanimous consent for up to 5 minutes. The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mrs. Gillibrand). Without objection, it is so ordered. The Senator from…

I do not want to leave this hearing, Ms. Blank, in communicating to the country that these rigs are somehow operating.

I believe we cannot continue to support a policy that will close the doors of our small businesses.

I mean all we hear from restaurant owners is that they are freezing, getting ready to lay off.

it will be more than 300,000 jobs and $147 billion in tax revenue.

the perception and I think the correct perception is that all we have heard is knee jerk reactions and excuses, not anything based on sound science or economics.

But the blanket moratorium on all deepwater drilling does nothing to advance that goal, and in fact the de facto shallow water moratorium has even less of a nexus to the original problem.

But let me be clear as one of the first senators to call for a full investigation into the accident and request more effective safeguards against future spills, I share the Administration's goal of a safer oil and gas industry.

So would you say that is a yes or a no?

But when an accident does happen, I cannot think of another situation where we brought an entire industry to a screeching halt.

we are very curious why the Administration would adopt a policy that is just throwing that revenue away.

The fact is, regardless of how it is reported, the fact is that Louisiana's coast line is a working coast that brings this country an abundance of seafood, energy, and navigation assets unmatched by any coast in the United States and…

I ask unanimous consent to speak as in morning business for up to 12 minutes. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered. DREAM Act