Roland Burris

I was down at Scott Air Force Base, are you familiar with that?

It's a major expansion, Mr. Chairman. We're so pleased to see what they're doing.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

I hope there's something in the budget to keep Scott up and running.

Yes. I was down at Scott Air Force Base, where General McNabb was saying that they're concerned about the future of those C-5s.

Are we letting the foreign competition absorb our industrial base?

I'm just wondering what's going to happen if there's nothing else that's going to come to use that line.

We know that certain minority populations are considered high risk due to the prevalence of pre-existing conditions such as diabetes and asthma.

So you do not see any lag in any of the areas where you are making the emphasis?

The shortage of the vaccine today, beneath what we would want it to be, is attributable to foreign countries telling their local manufacturers, 'Hey, you got to fill our needs before you fill anybody else's.'

I have been in contact with my pork producers in the great State of Illinois, and they are requesting that we come up with some other name for this influenza.

I want to thank you all. I think that is the end of my questions.

I know mine are operating at major deficits, and these types of crises bring additional responsibilities and expenses that have not been budgeted for.

But has it gotten so in the system that you cannot back it off and come up with some immediate terminology?

I am excited about the agenda. I am a cosponsor on quite a few of these bills.

I hope that there's enough leeway in the Secretary's discretion to be able to make a difference.

Does the Federal Reserve still have those educational programs, where you can go to the Federal Reserve and learn about money?

Mr. Hillman, you noted that the President's Advisory Council has been successful in creating needed partnerships with the public and private sectors.

I bet 99 percent of the people who get that statement do not even know that is on there.

I am pretty sure you could always say you could use some more, right, to reach more--because as Mr. Myers said, literacy not only with Federal employees but literacy in the Nation is going to start with our children.

I would just like to welcome our witnesses today and thank them for taking the time to be here and tell us about the work their various agencies are doing to promote financial literacy and education throughout the country.

I know that this issue is important to Senator Akaka, and I commend you on the timing of this hearing, Mr. Chairman, because it is the end of the Financial Literacy Month, so you timed that just right.

I have heard some local promotions about paying off your credit cards or if you only pay the minimum payment, but I did not even know the Federal Government had any role in trying to educate the consumer.

I wish that you would try to keep some type of data on that, some type of a record so we can see how successful it is.

I wish there was some kind of way--because I have tried to do this.