I think obviously the American people have had it up to here with financial institutions in general.

I get in my office--and I am sure Senator Whitehouse and every Senator gets--irate calls from taxpayers of this country...

Do you think taxpayers have a right to be a little bit upset about that?

The standard credit card agreement gives the lender the power to bleed their customers through evolving and ever more crafty tricks and traps.

High-interest-rate debt is financial quicksand for consumers.

We have lots of disclosure, but we really have obfuscation by disclosure.

The hearing will come to order.

This makes me think that we need to really look at substantive regulation.

American consumers are relying more than ever on credit cards to just make ends meet from month to month.

I believe there is an excellent opportunity on this subcommittee to work in a bipartisan manner to get some good things done.

We need to pursue that aggressively and effectively to meet all of our energy and related environmental goals.

Could you give any specific examples since Three Mile Island, not so much Three Mile Island, but since then, of how operating experience has improved plant operations today, including your guidelines for that?

I have not liked that idea from the beginning. It would seem to me to be just an enormous conflict of interest.

My reaction is, it's a genuine and sincere effort to try to free up the credit markets and especially to balance the -- and get balance into the real estate markets, which is at the core of the financial problems.

There's got to be a little gallows humor to get you through the day.

Well, the good news is that we have one more critical element in our recovery. But we've still got a long way to go. And we've got a lot of work to do.

Only coordinated international action can prevent the irresponsible risk-taking that caused this crisis.

The prosperity of every nation has been endangered, along with the stability of governments and the survival of people in the most vulnerable parts of the world.