The concerns that I have are that every agency seems to have a program.

I really applaud both the Chairman and the Vice Chairman for introducing bills that look toward entrepreneurship.

I think that the more we can work with community banks to create programs that give them the certainty, the better we are going to be in terms of providing capital.

I sense there is a feeling here that we have got to get some of these things done that are hanging out there.

if we are going to make this whole system solvent, it is going to take everybody to give a little bit.

It was incredibly important that we not only made Social Security solvent, but we lifted the bottom 20 percent dramatically.

The surviving spouse provisions are especially important with regard to offsetting some of the unfairness that exists elsewhere.

The consequence of failure has to be made clear.

Forty-six percent of the American people would have a hard time coming up with $400 for an emergency car repair.

I am eager to hear from our panelists to get a better sense of all the options they considered and how they reached consensus on the final report.

You make very good points, by the way.

There is a societal cost that is sort of hidden, isn't there?

You know, there are really three places where there are dramatic changes here.

We very much see it as a package. That is the way it was negotiated, and this was a difficult negotiation to get 18 of the 19 to agree representing all points on the political spectrum.

You know, we met with a Congressman on the Ways and Means Committee this morning, and we were on a subject related to this. You really see it with our elderly people who do not have options or options are closing in on them.

I very much look forward to hearing from this panel in regard to the legislation that we are proposing here.

We also increase the payroll tax very modestly, from the current combined rate of 12.4 percent to 13.4 percent over 10 years.

That I like to call the 'Conrad provision.'