This is your first hearing as the Labor/HHS Chair and I look forward to working with you in this role.

I want to remind the Committee that only a few short months ago, President Biden felt it was so imperative to pass a COVID-19 supplemental bill that the Administration pushed through a $1.9 trillion partisan bill, with no input from…

I know you don't want, and I don't want any of those children to go to a place where they're less safe, where they're going to be exploited or taken advantage of, and I would hope you're doing everything you can dealing with those big…

I am concerned we won't reach the 3.5 percent pre-pandemic number due to, frankly, some misguided Federal policies.

ARPA-H should not do what the other institutes do, but it should do what the other institutes cannot do in a crosscutting way that goes throughout the institutes.

I think one of the real strengths of the American higher education system since World War II has been virtually all of our programs, whether they were the GI benefit, or Pell Grants, or any other Federal Government program, you had the…

I certainly look forward to working with you in this role.

I am glad to hear that.

The ambitious speed and goals that pushed private companies to research, develop, and manufacture a COVID-19 vaccine, along with what we did in testing, really created the kind of breakthroughs we needed.

The fight against COVID-19 isn't over yet, and certainly, I agree with that.

I know those programs continue to be programs that we can do more with and, can look for reforms in.

I look forward to hearing your testimony today on the administration's fiscal year 2022 Budget.

I think that decision that you don't have to wear a mask once you have been fully vaccinated, will encourage people to get vaccinated.

Well, let us know what we need to be thinking about as we think about the rest of this bill on that topic.

Don't make it needlessly difficult by continuing to change the guidelines that you've giving hospitals on how they can spend the money.

Well, thank you, Chair Murray. This is your first hearing as the Labor, Health and Human Services chair.

Future generations can't afford this budget.

I look forward to your leadership and the things that we can do together.