Raúl Grijalva

I believe the impact of climate change is the biggest challenge that the Park Service has ever faced--both from a preservation standpoint, but also a financial one.

We are here on the Eastern Shore to talk about the Chesapeake Bay, the impacts of climate change, and the necessity and the urgency with which we need to deal with this reality.

There is a role for the public lands in the adaptation of climate change and in lessening its very, very negative effects.

The issue of climate change has dominated some of the work of the Subcommittee that I have the privilege of chairing.

We need a timber industry that is nimble enough to ramp up a way to process this large volume of woods.

Industry is part of the solution in Colorado, and we don't have enough of the right industry in the right place.

I would suggest that particularly in some of these states in the western states regarding the infestation and fire prevention and suppression strategies vital, that it would behoove some of the members of that body to get behind this.

I think it is important for all of us to reflect on the enormity of the issue that we are dealing with here today.

We need to focus on the best strategies for solving this problem without creating another one for future generations.

Now is a particularly relevant time for us to discuss this problem because in this season many beetles will be looking to infect new areas and new trees.

We can learn from these successes, much of which are credited to strong community support, private landowners, city officials, and residents all coming together to carry out the necessary work.

The Fish and Wildlife Service should play a leadership role in coordinating a national response to WNS.

WNS is no longer just a regional issue.

Has Fish and Wildlife considered such a system to help coordinate the responses from both local, state, and Federal agencies?

Our ability to determine the level of response will be key in minimizing any negative effects of these threats.

The only point that I want to add is that White-Nose Syndrome is the issue that we are dealing with right now--the cause, how to contain, how to mitigate what is going on.

The President's budget proposed to eliminate the Even Start Family Literacy program. If funding for this program is eliminated, this will affect 59,000 parents and children struggling with illiteracy and poverty, more than half (53%) of…

After seeing the Recovery Act and the President's FY10 budget, the Hispanic community has been concerned that the new administration has not prioritized English language learners, or the Latino student population.

Latinos are the fastest-growing segment of the U.S. student population and represent the future of the U.S. workforce.

Given that Latino students are a significant and rapidly growing segment of the student population, are there plans to make a stronger effort to appoint Latinos and Latinas to positions in the Department of Education?

The dropout crisis has a devastating impact on the Latino community.

This is a vital issue for the Nation, a vital issue for the Latino community.

When only half of the Latino students who enter ninth grade graduate with a high school diploma, it just points out the kind of devastation and distress that we feel in the communities.

Congress must work toward policies that address the dropout crisis for Latinos.

Latinos are our nation's fastest growing and largest minority group of children.