Richard Blumenthal

I think this whole thing is nothing more than it's all about the money. I think it's uncreative. I think it's nasty.

Do you recognize that document?

Let us never forget, despite the fact that this hearing is on e-cigarettes, that the evil of tobacco and cigarette use remains as a primary cause of death and addiction in this country.

You're what is wrong with this country. And the profit motive is good, but only if it's aimed at something which is for the general benefit of the public.

There's a legal principle that people are responsible for the natural and logical effects of what they do because they know those effects.

I think we have seen this movie before, it's called 'big nicotine comes to children near you.'

The evidence is undeniable that you are seeking not only to renormalize, but in fact, to re-glamorize tobacco use.

You've taken their playbook and you've modified it to a non-combustible nicotine delivery mechanism.

The only difference between your testimony today and the testimony that tobacco executives is that you're not under oath because I find in this testimony a sense of denial that I cannot creditable accept.

I would have more respect for all of the answers that you've given today knowing that you're the messenger but you don't make the policy if your companies would commit to help lead and make yourselves part of the solution, not the problem.

So wouldn't you agree that as a 'responsible' marketer, and you're in the business of promoting and selling these products, that an industry-wide agreement to ban those kinds of cartoon characters would be a good thing?

So to go to the point that was made earlier, you don't see any confusion between smoking and vaping in this ad or any of your other promotions?

Well, these ads and these images are designed to appeal to children.

I would strongly urge that the deferred action status be expanded.

The lack of bond hearings for thousands of immigrants is a real concern for many of us, including myself.

The importance of passing immigration reform so that we can address many of these questions.

I have heard from a great many Connecticut constituents who have mixed-status families; parts of their families are here legally...

In my view, Mr. Secretary, you have that discretion right now. The statute does not require that you deny bond hearings.

If this is not a searing indictment of our broken immigration system and the need for change, I cannot think of anything that is.

I have proposed increasing the penalties or in some way restructuring them, but also stronger oversight and scrutiny generally by the FRA.

I strongly endorse that idea.

I support the $9.5 billion request made for the passenger rail service program.

The electrical systems alone are outdated and have caused very significant service disruptions on the railroads in the Northeast Corridor.

A very little comment, just to thank each of you for your willingness to serve, your public service in the past, and I look forward to working with you.

This technology has huge promise, but also tremendous peril, and the awareness of the peril is sometimes difficult among young people who think of themselves as invincible.