Richard Blumenthal

I think the American public would be aghast and appalled that recalls have not been extended to cars on lots right now that they are buying that, in effect, are subject to the same safety defects as the cars under recall.

Thanks, Mr. Chairman. Thank you for being here.

The only thing that's really holding this particular system together at the moment is the consensus.

It's important that the U.S. Government avoid any actions that may send the wrong message to the international community regarding its support of an open Internet.

The global Internet should similarly be free and open, and to that end, the United States has a responsibility to lead by example.

To reform the rights and processes relating to appeals of decisions regarding claims for benefits under laws administered by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, and for other purposes

MOAA thanks Senator Richard Blumenthal for his leadership in this area.

To achieve reform in this appeals process is to achieve historic reform this year, and it should be this year.

If you have a result in a trial court and it is done quickly but then you have to wait years, perhaps decades, for justice on an appeal, the speed of the result in the trial court is irrelevant.

I expect the Department to be much more transparent, as well as effective, with Congress and taxpayers who are footing the bill for this gross mismanagement.

Every one of the major construction projects undertaken by the VA in the past several years has been way over budget and way behind schedule.

I want to reaffirm my own feeling that the VSOs have been really instrumental in the past year's efforts by the Congress and by the VA to improve performance.

Which are desperately needed----

Let me talk about the appeals process reforms----

As all of us know, actions in the end speak louder than words and his actions can speak louder than those words.

I take it, Mr. Gibson, that you have heard the remarks that were made this morning about Secretary McDonald's comments yesterday and that you will convey that message to him, which I think is felt unanimously on this Committee.

I just want to personally thank Senator McCain for his leadership on the amendment that hopefully we will consider to the NDAA.

Time is a critical factor, as well as the quality of service.

For a Congress that has done so little, to now do something so bad as to dilute the consumer protection laws would be absolutely outrageous.

I do believe that the present penalties in the TCPA are inadequate as a deterrent for the bad actors and repeated violators.

We are doing a grave disservice to the people of America, and they want stronger measures.

If there is a form of consumer complaint that is common and passionate among the people of Connecticut, it is unwanted calls.

There's no question in my mind that the present law needs to be updated and upgraded.

We must protect the rights of consumers.

The Department of Commerce ought to be held accountable.