Mary Landrieu

It is clear to me that small businesses need reliable and non-predatory financing opportunities in both the debt and equity market in order to start, to grow, and to succeed.

Do you share my view there are practical changes we can make to FEMA policy that might mitigate some of the concerns of communities without adversely affecting risk identification or the solvency of the NFIP?

I will say that the violence in Mexico is something we are very concerned about.

I hope we can avoid this, Madam Secretary, but the potential shutdown of the Government and what that might mean...

I am sympathetic to what Senator Lautenberg was saying relative to representing an area that is a significantly high-threat area.

It reminded me that this was the largest reorganization of the Federal Government since Harry Truman organized the aspects of the military.

The House recently passed a continuing resolution that cut funding by $2.5 billion in this Department, which is 6 percent below the 2010 budget.

To me that does not make any sense.

Securing this Nation is not just about the Federal Government.

I look forward to working with you and hearing from all of our subcommittee members this year.

I do not believe the notion of reducing spending arbitrarily to a 2008 level for this Department makes any sense.

Securing this Nation is not just, as you know, Madam Secretary, a Federal Government responsibility.

I believe the President has submitted a fiscally responsible budget for this Department.

I will not support a budget that reduces that number by 3,500.

In the spirit of bipartisanship, I am actually going to pass the gavel to Senator Coats so he can continue.

Since 2005, for example, importers of shrimp from China have failed to pay more than $58 million in dumping duties.

The Coast Guard is one of the five armed forces of the United States.

We must all learn from history while confronting the evolving threats to this Nation.

But right now along the gulf coast, we are having such serious issues, you know, with the moratorium, the gulf coast spill, still recovering from Katrina and Rita.

We have to be mindful that we are building, not streamlining this Department.

If the President does not request and the Congress does not approve supplemental funding, that account under our calculations will literally run out of money in June.

I do not believe the notion of reducing spending to 2008 levels is either appropriate or responsible for the Department of Homeland Security.

We must have the fortitude and the discipline and the tenacity I think, Senator Coats and others, to continue to fund adequately this effort and not become lax or distracted.

We just can't stop drugs at the border, along the Southwest Border. They're coming through maritime channels.

The question is, what is the most effective way to catch the bad guys? You know, is it with ship patrols? Is it with unmanned aircraft?