Richard Blumenthal

I want to thank you for the distribution center that you have in Windsor, CT, which has employed 40 percent of its workforce with people with disabilities.

It turned out that most of the steps we took to make work easier and more productive for people with disabilities made work easier and more productive for all employees.

I particularly want to thank the Chairman and the Ranking Member, Senator Enzi, for their leadership on this issue.

The importance of this issue, and especially its importance at a time of economic stress when higher unemployment rates exist among folks with disabilities.

And I think one of the problems--if I can just interject--is that very often those background checks relate only to the State where that person is working.

It is unreported because people are embarrassed and ashamed. And they should not be, because we are all victims.

It is unconscionable and unacceptable and intolerable, in our society, that we permit so many of our senior citizens to be victims of this kind of abuse.

I think affirmative action, as it was originally conceived, it was a time-limited remedy for past wrongs.

I want to say about this process that I think that you are entitled to an up-or-down vote by the U.S. Senate.

The priority given to this serious felony crime has to be maintained and increased

Part of the problem here is the priority that law enforcement and judges give to this crime.

I want to join in thanking you, Mr. Chairman, for your leadership and the bipartisan commitment from Senator Grassley.

I'm hopeful that we'll continue the effort--I know of your very distinguished scientific background in areas of physics and so forth, as well as in public policy-- to develop even more effective protective devices for our troops there.

You say that you remain open to initiatives designed to further evolve existing programs.

I do appreciate your very candid and forthright answers and your service, both of you.

If you could report back, if I could ask you, respectfully, to report back on how the Army will be finalizing those requirements, I would appreciate it.

Are you satisfied that we have the means and capability to determine who the perpetrator was in these instances?

Can you envision situations where a cyber attack on a utility or a bank or an Internet company could be interpreted as an act of war?

I think the average American would say, 'That is an act of war.'

I would like your assurance that you will, in fact, focus on fuel cell technology and its potential uses in delivering energy sources to our troops in the field.

Thank you for your extraordinary, very distinguished service to our country.

The ammonium nitrate fertilizers that are the cause of probably the vast majority of the IED very tragic and unfortunate injuries to our troops are transported from Pakistan.

I would welcome the opportunity to work with you on those issues.

I would appreciate your commitment that you will do everything possible to make sure that they are given the recognition they deserve

I always worry about people that only have 2, 3, or 4 employees. They can't do this kind of stuff.