Richard Blumenthal

I urge the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) to provide clear direction and incentives for utilities to establish micro grids, thus ensuring at least a portion of a town or city has some electricity during the next big storm.

I believe, strongly, by the Federal Government.

I am a strong supporter, as are other members of this Committee, of repealing DOMA, the respect for marriage act, which would provide a comprehensive solution.

Thank you, Madam Secretary, for your service and for your very steadfast and effective work on behalf of our national security.

Only federal comprehensive immigration reform can accomplish the three objectives most Americans want to see achieved with regard to immigration.

As a result of this bill, Arizona's 373-mile border with Mexico is now patrolled by over 5,200 Border Patrol agents and 300 National Guardsmen.

Some in Arizona might wish to take credit for this, but the study shows this is a national trend based on increased federal enforcement.

I salute and thank the Senator from Vermont for his extraordinary leadership on this issue of the Violence Against Women Act. He has been truly and deservedly a hero in championing a measure that has saved countless lives and prevented the…

The idea that Congress could direct OSHA to adopt a rule in a more expedited way than currently takes place is something that's in the GAO report as a possibility.

These delays have real-life consequences. They have consequences not just in money and unnecessary medical costs.

We live, as you put it, in extraordinary times, and we are facing extraordinary challenges.

I think that the burden is on us to recognize that we are in extraordinary times.

If there is a way to avoid the budget spike in cost that right now has caused the delay, if there is some accounting or legislative language that could be devised, I'm very eager to join with Senator Reed on working on that.

The performance under this program ahead of schedule, under budget, consistently, and reliably is another extraordinary circumstance.

The End Racial Profiling Act is essential.

And added to that problem is the difficulty often of using eyewitness testimony where somebody supposedly identifying a potential defendant in a lineup can be just plain wrong because of race being a factor.

At times our Supreme Court gets it wrong, which is why we exhort this Congress and this Senate to step in.

I think the courts already addressed it. The courts have already told law enforcement agencies very clearly, 'You cannot use race as the basis for how you do this.' So conduct is it.

The Fraternal Order of Police nationwide lacked the trust from communities of color.

I will be very disappointed if this Congress fails to do much more than is contemplated right now in addressing these problems.

Have cases of drug shortages and black market issues been referred to the Department of Justice?

I feel that working group's proposals are a small step, a baby step, a tiptoe that also fails to address this issue.

A difficult and certainly challenging one, particularly in this political climate.

What is the FDA doing to mitigate those shortages?

Don't we have to enshrine in the law some basic protection of the criminal defendant when it comes to this disclosure?