I thank Senator Stabenow for her commitment to helping fund a cure for citrus greening, and it is just that; it is an emergency situation. Because of the devastating nature of this citrus greening disease, the citrus research trust fund…

I was greatly saddened to learn about the passing of Senator Lautenberg on Monday. I was fortunate to serve with Senator Lautenberg on the Commerce Committee. His life was about public service, plain and simple. Frank was a great example…

I wish to address the issue being debated in front of the Senate. I thank the chairman of the Judiciary Committee for the leadership he has offered. The chairman has a strong and firm but fair hand. He has allowed the bill to be here and…

I would be remiss if I let another moment go by without giving our sincere appreciation to congress for passing the RESTORE Act.

We apologize for the late start. We just completed three votes.

I want to forgo any opening statements so that we can accommodate her need to get back to the floor.

I would expect that we will continue to see a negative impact from the oil on the food chain and on animals and people for years to come.

So when you combine the dead zone with what is already going on because of the oil that came into the bays like Barataria, then you have a double problem.

However, three years later, the Gulf has seen only 7 percent of the early restoration monies.

We need to ensure that we are doing everything we can to protect our coastal ecosystems.

Thank you for convening this hearing and for stimulating thoughtful dialogue that can lead to collaborative and productive implementation of the RESTORE Act.

I was proud to help author and vote for that legislation.