Maybe I should compliment you as it is starting to sound like Justice Scalia, who doesn't think that anything we say over here makes any difference when a matter gets in court.

What is important here, I think, is for all of us to realize that truth and time travel on the same road and that truth always has the last word.

Currently we do have a body of law with a substantial deference standard that is in the current law that this legislation repeals and does not substitute another standard and basically makes this a matter of judicial discretion.

I know I took the opportunity to express some feelings that the Administration has been hypocritical in some of the attacks that it made on the previous Administration.

I am most encouraged with you as a person in terms of your knowledge, your enterprise, your energy, your ambition, and I am convinced you are and will be a great Secretary of Agriculture.

long-term care is expensive, with the cost of an average nursing home now nearly $70,000 a year.

reforming our long-term care system is a necessary part of reforming the entire healthcare system.

long-term care is unpredictable, expensive, uncoordinated, and not integrated with the healthcare system.

most Americans do not realize that Medicare offers only limited home health services.

the Recovery Act passed by Congress contains billions of dollars for one-time funding for public schools.

In terms of priority, the program seems to me should have a very high priority, if we talk about encouraging our high school students that aspire to going to college.

I believe education is one of the best investments our Nation can make to ensure future economic growth and stability.

I believe your task is more important than ever.

I initially supported this legislation because it guaranteed increased Federal funding and flexibility in exchange for real accountability from schools.

Funding levels have fallen billions short of what was authorized, and schools are struggling to meet the law's requirements.

States share the responsibility of providing Medicaid funding for long-term care with the Federal Government.

the financing of long-term care must be addressed if we are going to get healthcare costs under control.

It's imperative that this agency is successful in its mission because literally people's lives depend on it.