Chris Coons

I simply wanted to thank the members of the panel and the 2 leads on this bill today for your great work in putting together a sensible bipartisan bill that I think will move.

I was thrilled to hear the details from Mr. Scripter, Mr. Damiano, Mr. Crasi, of the work that you've done.

I'll join the other members of this committee in thanking Ambassador Crocker.

How you see the prospects of our ever being successful in persuading the Pakistanis to change their relentless focus on India as the primary source of threat to their nation.

Maybe it was a resolution of the debt ceiling, Who knows?

I believe that we have an absolute obligation to provide a fair, impartial forum for litigants.

Great judging requires modesty and respect for the role that judges play in our system as arbiters of facts and the law rather than makers of policy.

I think it is always incumbent upon judicial officers to make sure that they set the tone so that all litigants are always treated with courtesy and respect.

Nomination hearings are important. The positions to which all of our nominees today are seeking confirmation carry with them lifetime tenure.

I just hope we will continue to sustain the current pace.

Finally, in my view being a great judge requires some balance of empathy and evenhandedness.

It is in my view important the Senate takes seriously its role to examine the qualifications, work ethic, and intelligence of our nominees.

Rich in my view has established himself as a talented, dedicated, and humble public servant who possesses a strong work ethic and the highest integrity and intellect.

We serve as the final gatekeeper, and it is our role to ensure the Federal judiciary is staffed with capable, honest, and hard-working judges.

I'm strongly supportive of the Merkley/Alexander bill and hope to be joining them in actively supporting its adoption.

I believe, as I think many of us do, that this has enormous potential for America's manufacturing future, for America's energy independence.

This is a panel of Senators concerned about, and deeply interested in, the path forward for Cote d'Ivoire.

No. There's no objection.

One of the critical requirements, going forward, is that security is returned to the country so that people are able to return to their lives to have restored confidence in a future.

The passions of the people of Cote d'Ivoire, in response to many acts of violence and many humanitarian abuses, are going to be a very real challenge for reconciliation.

I think that President Ouattara has already indicated that he will take steps to include members of former President Gbagbo's party in his Cabinet.

Political reconciliation is absolutely essential. I think that all people who were involved in human rights abuses need to be brought to trial.

I agree with what you've already spoken to eloquently, General, that this is a critical moment in our relationship with Pakistan.

I have to remind them, as Nick Kristoff commented this week in the New York Times, that it--in the long-term, a stable Pakistan is more critical to the region and to the United States interests, like it or not, than a stable Afghanistan.

How can the civilian government of Pakistan be a true partner to America with a Parliament that just passed a resolution condemning the bin Laden raid?