I want to thank you, first of all, for your assistance last year for the floods in Rhode Island.

As Senator Barrasso's chart shows, poverty is the most significant negative impact on children's overall health.

He is a very good lawyer, he has been a great U.S. Attorney, and I look forward to his smooth confirmation.

I am honored to be in their company today and, again, very much appreciate your service.

I very much appreciate your service to our veterans through the work of this Committee.

We need to focus on trying to restart the American economy and get job growth going.

So there are not air pollution effects from air pollution levels observed today? That is your testimony?

Kids have no money, and they don't vote.

But they are supported by the science, they are supported by public health.

The polluting industries are always heard loud and clear in this town.

I think it is important that we have a hearing like this where the perspective of children can be heard.

But I just wanted to add a particular word of how immensely proud I am of what you have accomplished out of this tragedy.

And that would be equally true whether the bullying was simply verbal versus physical. It connects nonetheless.

It is part of my job to bring the experience and wisdom of Rhode Island down to Washington and try to improve things there.

When will this bullying come to an end? What is it that we have to do to get the point across that this is not acceptable?

The Violence Against Women Act has unquestionably improved the national response to domestic and sexual violence.

It is really extraordinary what you have accomplished. You took the worst nightmare that every parent dreads more than anything else and you turned the terrible energy of that into such a powerful force for good.

VAWA was not only the right thing to do, it has also proven to be fiscally sound legislation.