I think we now think--many of us think of it--that the prison and jail system is the de facto mental health system in the United States.

Although this is a topic which is in a sense inherently tragic, on the other hand, the fact that Senators Alexander and Murray and you all are here gives us some room for happiness, of optimism in the midst of this.

I have a vested interest in asking this. I have introduced S. 453, the Veteran Emergency Medical Technician Support Act.

When I was in, I was a battle commander. When I was out, I was an assistant manager.

Is model State legislation being drafted which different States could then adapt.

Upon separation, is there some assessment made of whether or not the veteran has an addiction problem?

There is such a strong case for allowing U.S. export of oil. I cannot imagine why the Administration does not.

The way the market has responded, in order to make insurance affordable despite the mandates, is there are so-called narrow networks. So someone signs up for the most affordable policy they can get. It turns out that the doctor they…

Louisiana's co-op failed. It attempted to lower costs with a skinny network, but ultimately it still could not compete. If I may point out, we have talked about how the low-wage worker has had her opportunity diminished by the law. We…

If the EU is planning, ECB is planning to stimulate, and we are sending signals that we are going to raise interest rates, it seems like we are creating the dynamic where the Dollar will continue to strengthen.

There is a fellow who started a medical device startup in New Orleans, and he was saying that he had an offer to move his business to Panama because a major portion of his market is overseas. So the medical device tax is, of course, a tax…

I wish you were their central banker. I'm not sure--but that's--I hope you're right.

But not in that lowest quintile. Is that a fair statement?

When it comes to insurance premiums, you can't make this up. This is a fellow from Homewood, LA. His first name is Mark; we scratched out his last name. This is his letter from Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Louisiana informing him that his…

I say to Senator Alexander, one of the ironies of this is that it was promoted as a way to help lower income families make ends meet better. But if you require employers to provide insurance to low-wage workers, the predictable response of…

But if we are shedding all these jobs in the industry which provides such a tremendous number of jobs for less skilled workers, it seems as if that endangers even this 2.5 percent growth we have.

our labor market participation is the lowest it has been since Jimmy Carter.

So even though we have gotten some benefit for consumer spending in terms of employment, now going forward as those jobs are further shed what impact do you feel like that has upon our growth?

the marginal effect for the lower quintile is going to be greater than the marginal effect for the upper quintiles.

I have asked for data before from the VA on data that was specific to the New Orleans VA and I was told that you could not segregate it from the aggregate.

Intuitively, though, the more openings you have to a system, the more points of vulnerability you have.

How do we achieve safety but not kill an industry with a thousand cuts, an industry which is so important to the livelihood of so many?

I rise today in support of S. 310, the Eliminating Government-funded Oil-painting Act, or the EGO Act. I would like to thank my colleagues, Chairman Ron Johnson and Ranking Member Tom Carper of the Committee on Homeland Security and…

I ask unanimous consent that the order for the quorum call be rescinded. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered. Unanimous Consent Request--S. 310

I have no clue why the esteemed Democratic leader objects. All I can say is that is an incredible insensitivity to working families. I have no clue. There is a family out there right now struggling, not sure if they can pay their rent or…