Chris Coons

The issue of economic development as a way to provide some escape valve for the hopes and aspirations of folks in the region came up.

I am concerned about China's projection of economic power into Africa--and also Iran's, frankly, and about the moves that Iran's been making to acquire nuclear weapons.

I was pleased to see that the Land and Water Conservation Fund get full funding.

I would appreciate if you'd let me and others who are interested know if there are challenges in terms of your working with other agencies because it is, in my view, critical that we appropriately streamline the permitting and review…

I want to focus our conversation today about offshore wind.

I think you would be a very capable jurist, and we would be blessed to have you join the Ninth Circuit.

I also was very encouraged by what I saw in Jordan and in the Palestinian Authority in terms of progress around security.

Our troops are making remarkable and steady progress in degrading the strength of the Taliban.

Global piracy is an enormously difficult thing that is draining billions of dollars of resources.

Counterfeiting and, in particular, online copyright infringement and the piracy of intellectual property is a very real and dramatically growing problem for us here and overseas.

Right. Then my next question, in trying to strike that right balance between free speech protection and promotion of free speech and blocking outright piracy...

We have to balance America's historic role as a Nation that promotes free expression.

Foreign governments and, frankly, their comparable law enforcement entities.

I'm grateful for your service and appreciate the direction you're taking the Department.

I think that's critical, as you discussed before, to creating the kind of draw that will sustain manufacturing here.

But we need technology development.

I support ARPA-E getting a significant increase and think it has shown, both in its strategy and its focus, a real innovative approach.

I am grateful for the opportunity to join you.

I think will help contribute to the role that I also view this committee as having a central place to play in, which is sustaining America's leading role in innovation.

The best way for us to honor both their sacrifice and the investment of over a trillion dollars, here, is to plan adequately for the transition and, hopefully, for a stable and secure ally in Iraq.

Thank you for convening this important hearing on the transition from a military-led to a civilian-led role for the United States in Iraq, going forward.

I think all of us agree that we are in a debt and deficit crisis and one that I would welcome your elucidating a little bit further just what the consequences would be for, as you put it, Senator, the little guy.

If America is not to fall behind, if we are going to be competitive, we are going to have to have high-speed rail.

High-speed rail... has value for America, and we are all part of Team America.

I support high-speed rail because I believe it is good for America.