Richard Blumenthal

I just want to say, at the outset, I thank Senator Chambliss for his legislative proposal, which I have supported, on Reserve retirement credit.

If there was some way to reach out to people who have been through these experiences and may not have been diagnosed.

I regard it as very important. I commend and thank you for your interest.

Are there measures that we can take that would assist you in stopping this kind of fraud?

Please be very careful when you lump so-called white America into one monolith in order to create your statistics.

I want to thank each of the Services for the great work you're doing on these issues.

I want to drill down a little bit on the excellent question that the Chairman asked, and talk about this transition; in particular, an area of injury that I think is extraordinarily important, often undiagnosed or misdiagnosed: traumatic…

It takes a kind of courage that will lead others to avoid the stigma, and eventually ease it or remove it.

Some people thought it was political at the time. I said, basically, this is just a safety net.

I'm honored to be here today with you.

But I take it you do not disagree with the disclosure mandates, regardless of how the aggregates and the coordination is done.

Even with those potential sources of money, however, isn't there a reality here that the imbalances of funding can be so disparate and the appearances are so corrosive to trust and confidence in the democratic system?

The constitutionality of public financing is not in doubt.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. First of all, let me thank Senator Durbin for his very important and really significant proposal addressing a problem that I think all of us agree is an issue most Americans feel is a problem in today's democracy.

I want to thank Senator Durbin for advancing this debate and for a proposal that I think addresses many of the weaknesses and needs in the present system.

And I do not view this proposal as an attack on corporations or corporate contributions, nor do I view it as an effort to make people like Congress, but perhaps trust Congress a little bit more.

Even if there are corporate independent expenditures, do you think there should be no disclosure?

It mandates federal contractors to fund this proposed system.

If I am a wealthy person and I say, 'All right, I am just going to support candidates. I am not going to give to outside groups. I just want to support candidates,' do you know how many candidates I can max out to in a given cycle? Eight.

Whether you favor reform or not, most folks would rather see less of us on TV rather than more.

Thank you. Well, I thank all of you for your participation, and I have learned something.

I would just suggest--and I would be eager to work with you--that it should encompass this area which is so vitally important to consumers.

I would welcome and I do welcome that willingness to work together.

I want to focus on the area of potential legislation that you have identified as No. 6 in your testimony...

They need to be empowered, and absolutely protected against retaliation, not just that objectively it won't occur