Richard Blumenthal

Are there particular areas of forensic science that most trouble you, in terms of the reliability of testimony-- fingerprinting, obviously bullet analysis has proven problematic.

I really do appreciate your being here. This area is enormously important.

Do you think that HHS, the Department of Health and Human Services, can and should be supporting more programming that provides those incentives for medical students to choose forensic pathology at a higher rate?

The science is, in fact, progressing.

I supported those efforts, options for patients to provide instructions or to appoint someone to provide instructions to physicians, family members, and others about care choices.

The term 'conspiracy of silence' is a very strong one, and I do not dispute it

I agree completely, Mr. Chairman, and would agree voluntarily to comply, or at least adhere to, Regulation E.

Do you employ outside consultants to develop and implement those systems to protect against cyber intrusion?

Does--were you going to add something, Ms. Gruber?

Thank you for being here today. Thank you for your good work on this program.

Do you have systems in place that are Treasury-wide that apply to Social Security, or does the Social Security Administration have separate defenses against cyber intrusion or cyber attack?

I would appreciate your letting us know through the Chairman so that we can consider adding to--augmenting that authority.

Are there ways, in your view and Mr. Gregg's view, that the electronic system may be more susceptible to fraud than the paper method of check delivery?

If somebody calls you without your having called first... that call is a fraud. Do not talk to that person. Hang up.

It is hard for me to believe that you cannot prevent that kind of abuse under your existing authority.

But, it certainly is a relevant consideration.

The Department of Justice recently wrote the FCC to weigh in on how the Commission can structure its spectrum policy to best encourage competition and promote consumer welfare.

You know that half of all broadband subscribers in the United States are subject to some kind of cap--bandwidth cap or usage-based billing policy, caps that... a lot of people regard as anticonsumer.

I think that listening is very, very important in this job.

What can the FCC do to decrease the frequency of blackouts and make sure that consumers... aren't stuck with blank screens?

So, that would mean that they should have access to the spectrum.

Clearly, this is an issue that is ripe for Commission decision.

I don't have an issue that would derail your confirmation, and I hope you will adopt the approach of considering, carefully and cautiously and deliberately, all of these issues, once you reach the position, if you are confirmed, that will…

On June 10, 2013, I was regretfully absent during the vote on the Leahy amendment No. 998 because of travel delays due to inclement weather. Had I been able to attend the vote, I would have supported passage of this amendment, which…

On June 12, I introduced legislation with Senators Klobuchar and Blumenthal aimed at preventing bogus companies from cramming charges onto consumers' phone bills.