I appreciate your holding this hearing on this very important subject.

Before we enact new legislation, it is important to determine whether there is an actual need for more laws.

I agree that increased online theft of intellectual property has really become a rampant problem.

I do refuse to accept that the problem is too difficult because people who want to steal will always find a way.

Today the Senate will confirm two more of President Obama's judicial nominees. With this action, we are filling two seats which have been declared judicial emergencies. I am pleased we are moving forward with these important positions. I…

we often use the metaphor of credit cards to talk about uncontrolled government spending, but in some cases, wasteful government spending is quite literally enabled by the use of charge cards in the hands of government bureaucrats. That is…

in addition to my support for Judge Saldana and Mr. Holmes, I rise in support of Marco A. Hernandez to be U.S. district judge for the District of Oregon. I am pleased the Senate is finally turning to this nomination. This is the third…

I have the sad task today of paying tribute to Specialist Shawn A. Muhr of Coon Rapids, IA, who has fallen in the line of duty in Afghanistan. Specialist Muhr was serving with the 546th Transportation Company, 264th Combat Sustainment…

That statement is absolutely false, and you admitted as much last night, that you knew by April 2010 that ATF walked guns in Operation Wide Receiver.

On February 4, 2011, the Department sent me a letter also assuring me that allegations of gun walking were untrue.

I regret that in April of 2010 that I did not draw the connection between Wide Receiver and Fast and Furious.

The Florida judge who ruled on the constitutionality of the new health law this Monday compared the Government's arguments to Alice in Wonderland.

Obviously, it is good to have that understanding, that we are a society based upon law and not upon what judges just happen to think it might be.

Professor Fried, you have made very clear that you are convinced that there is no doubt that the mandate in the health law is constitutional.

We agree on the issue of it is constitutional, we move forward; and if it is not constitutional, we start over again.

If you want to add, Professor Dellinger.

The idea that the Federal Government could, through Medicaid, drive the single largest share of every State budget seems very inconsistent with the objective of our federal system of Government.

Congress has never before passed a law that requires people who are not already engaged in an activity, commercial or otherwise, to affirmatively purchase a product or service.

I think we are very fortunate to be under the rule of law, under that Constitution.

I believe that a judge is obligated to make sure that the laws that Congress passes comply with the Constitution.

If Congress passes a law that is beyond the constitutional power to enact no matter how popular or desirable the provisions of that law are for some people, the courts have an obligation to strike it down.

The Nation is experiencing some difficult times. Our fellow citizens are hurting, and we must get the economy moving in the right direction.

The Committee also needs to study how the President and administration is responding to foreclosures, whether that response is working, whether the $75 million that the administration is spending is a proper use of the taxpayers' money…

One of the concerns with the loan modification program being run by bankruptcy courts is that judges, directly or indirectly, might force lenders to cram down home mortgages.

I think it is legitimate, as we have done already, to raise the question--we have HAMP--whether or not that should not be fixed before we look at something else.