Tom Carper

I describe Plan Colombia and also the Alliance for Prosperity, which was developed by Honduras, Guatemala, and El Salvador, I call it 'The Home Depot' plan.

Alliance for Prosperity that we helped them develop, and so they are putting their own money against it.

Colombia is not a perfect nation, but it is a much different nation, and a strong partner of ours.

When I was in the Navy, I was stationed for a while in San Diego and would venture down into Mexico.

Jeh, with the help of his leadership team, this Committee, and Congress, has begun... a remarkable transformation of the Department.

John, you are a hero, and I am proud to have served with you and proud to know you today.

General John Kelly is an exceptionally well qualified nominee to lead the Department of Homeland Security.

I commend the President-elect for nominating General Kelly for this position because, as I know firsthand, John is a straight-talking, candid, courageous leader who will say exactly what he thinks.

Secretary Gates, you are one of the finest Secretaries of Defense we have ever had.

That is smart. But, what would also be smart is--all of these Border Patrol agents that are taking care of these kids, like day-care operators. That is not smart.

Come back to us in writing, if you would, please.

How do we change the mindset, to turn off the flow, so the parents will say, 'I want my kid to stay here and have an opportunity, have a future here'? How do we do that?

I believe we have that--and probably the best we have ever had--certainly the most expensive we have ever had.

I want to conclude, if I can, just by thanking you both for being here. Thank you for your leadership.

One of the ways to reduce the need for doing that is for us to do our part to help make sure that all of those little kids and their bigger brothers and sisters actually have a future in Honduras, Guatemala, and El Salvador.

No silver bullet to resolve it. No silver bullet. A lot of silver BBs. Some are bigger than others--and we need to do them all.

This is not the end. This is not the beginning of the end. This is the end of the beginning.

I am not going to get off of the Committee. I will still be, I guess, the senior Democrat, but I will be the Ranking Member on the Senate Committee on the Environment and Public Works (EPW).

Where it is appropriate, sure, we need that. We want to make sure that it is done thoughtfully and in ways that it can actually contribute.

I think immigration reform is part of the solution, including the ability for workers in Honduras, Guatemala, and El Salvador to come up here, work for a while, go home unimpeded, and come back from time to time.

18 months is outrageous.

Most people are not familiar with the Jefferson-Lincoln Awards, but they are given out every year to different people, Democrats and Republicans, usually to people who are in public life. One of the recipients was Bob Mueller, a former FBI…

I understand that the majority leader is going to be coming on the floor, and I will be most happy to yield to him. ____________________

Tell us what the rules are going to be. Give us some flexibility, give us a reasonable amount of time, and get out of the way.

I like that, 'Back in the black.' Maybe that could be our slogan here.