all of these regulations really represent a hidden tax on businesses and the cost of doing business.

the costs of these regulations don't even make sense, and it just impairs and impedes their success.

I want to thank all of you this morning for being the job creators in our country.

Mr. Speaker, with gas prices going through the roof, it is time to ask the question: Is this administration's energy policy working? After all, gas price haves soared by 30 percent over the past year. We can help protect ourselves from…

Other than the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), is there a single program in the Department that has demonstrated measured success as a direct result of spending from the federal government?

I am always looking for additional ways to help our returning soldiers, and my question is, do you have any insights on why this number might be so high versus the rest of the employment figures?

The application for the small business funds that we passed last September is still open for... small and independent community banks to file for that.

Mr. President, I also rise to speak for women and children across this country but especially in North Carolina. Prenatal and postnatal maternal care translates into healthy moms and healthy families. Children who receive regular…

I was very pleased with the bill that we passed, the Small Business Jobs bill with the Small Business Lending Fund.

We have also got to ensure that Federal contracting preferences designed to assist disadvantaged businesses are not subject to fraud and abuse.

Encouraging entrepreneurship, I believe, is critically important to the sustained economic development and self-sufficiency in our underserved communities.

Well, in many instances, those smaller loans are the hardest ones for small business owners to actually have access to, and so I do think it is important that you continue focusing in that area.

It is all about jobs. We need to see what we can do at the Federal level to make a better business climate so that private industries can grow and hire more people.

I am very appreciative of, Senator Landrieu, your commitment to doing oversight hearings.

I do think there is obviously a disparity, and through the SBA and through the lending practices, we certainly do need to step up and see what we can do to proactively help change that.

I believe that they are all multi-talented and passionate about the job that they do.

Madam President, I wish to take a moment in this Chamber to honor the passing of the last doughboy, Mr. Frank Buckles, the last of those World War I veterans. Mr. Buckles was America's last living World War I veteran and he died Sunday in…

Madam President, are we in morning business? The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tempore. We are.