Mr. President, for too long, American families, farmers, and job creators have suffered under President Obama's regulatory onslaught. His administration threw caution to wind, pumping out regulation after regulation and further entangling…

We know him to be a leader who has served the people of Alabama--and all Americans--with integrity, with dedication, and with courage.

I welcome brand-new Senator Kennedy, not only to this Committee but to the Senate as well.

He tells us so with his usual thoughtfulness, humility, and, more importantly, respect.

Senator Sessions is 'wonderful to work with.'

He is a man of honor and integrity, dedicated to the faithful and fair enforcement of the law.

He is always a gentleman. He is straightforward and fair.

I look forward to hearing from him about this vision and plans for the Department.

Thank you, Senator Sessions, for your service in the Senate but more importantly, for taking on this responsibility you have been nominated for.

Based on our collective and extensive experience, we also know him to be a person of unwavering dedication to the mission of the department to assure that our country is governed by a fair and evenhanded rule of law.

I have no reservations about Senator Sessions' ability to handle these issues fairly, in accordance with law and to protect the civil rights of these and all of our citizens.

I want everybody to get over here that wants to ask questions, and I am not going to take up anybody's time until everybody else is done

I hope that you see them as a source, so you can administer a better Department and do what the Government is supposed to do.

I want everyone to be able to watch the hearing without obstruction.

We have no doubt that Senator Sessions can do the job well, bringing to this critically important office his own unique and extraordinary strengths of courage, humility, experience, and an inviolable promise to treat all people equally…

I think it is a dangerous trend we must reverse and reverse soon.

Do you agree that independence is the hallmark of an Inspector General's integrity and effectiveness?

I strongly believe he understands and respects the importance of civilian control of our armed services.