Health is our most important capital asset. Without health, there is nothing any of us can do.

I hear a lot of people--and a lot of my friends are dying of cancer--and I know a lot of people with heart conditions.

Last year, we increased the budget for the subcommittee by $7 billion.

Well, that's why I'm asking you, Dr. Zerhouni.

NIH has researched and found treatments for various strains of cancer, isn't that correct?

It is simply unacceptable to have a $500+ million cut in NIH funding, as proposed by the administration this year.

Senator Harkin and I have taken the lead, as is fairly well known, in increasing the funding for NIH from $12 billion to almost $30 billion.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Director, I was struck by some of the information in your testimony, as well as the prepared testimony, with regard to risk-sharing.

We need to also talk about the future of our immigration policy.

I think we should not get bogged down on semantics over substance, but ought to deal with what is the substance.

Have you considered and studied the Canadian plan, the point system that Canada has?

We are going to have to deal compassionately with the people that are here illegally.

comprehensive immigration reform is absolutely what needs to be done.

It is my hope that after we complete those hearings that in September we will move ahead to a conference and produce legislation.

The Senate bill, in my opinion, unfortunately, does not meet the test.

I do not often quote Senator Kennedy, but I told him I was going to do this.

This needs to be a cooperative and bipartisan effort.

I think that there is a tremendous amount of commonality here.