Each State should have the ability to use these funds how they see fit to restore the economic and ecological damage caused by the spill.

I am dismayed the Federal Government itself did not have any monies readily available to respond through our own agencies.

Because I am going to be asking each State to give this Subcommittee a very detailed report of how they spent...

I do not think that is an accurate or full snapshot picture and I would urge us to look at other metrics.

We need to be aware of health care and monitoring of toxic exposure, especially for children and the oil spill cleanup workers, and provide primary health care access and services in these coastal communities.

Congress needs to swiftly address the allocation of the Clean Water Act fines from the BP oil spill.

Thank you, Senator Landrieu, for your leadership in bringing this human side of this tragedy to the forefront once again.

So you are testifying that denial letters or letters accompanying reduced award amounts include detailed explanations, because that is not our understanding.

We have paid out in the last 5 weeks about 85,000 quick payments totaling almost $700 million.

But just to be clear, anyone at any amount can appeal to the Coast Guard.

I know there is nothing that requires you to do it. I am clear about the law.

I am aware and have been for months, and it is part of why we wanted you all to come.

So of the $10 million that went to you, only $650,000 went for----

I would encourage you to live up to your public statements that you are going to make the region whole.

One thing that I'm particularly pleased about because I don't think people expected this is that this committee made an unequivocal or this Commission, comment or statement about the importance of the future of this industry.

I want to after further review of it, support that concept. I was initially skeptical.

As you may know, Senator Wyden and I and our other West Coast colleagues yesterday reintroduced legislation to permanently ban offshore drilling along the West Coast of the United States.

I want to thank both leaders of this Commission, Senator Graham and Mr. Reilly for your contributions to this effort which is an extremely important subject for our Nation, for the Gulf Coast and particularly for the State of Louisiana…

on January 5, 2011, Senator Barbara Mikulski of Maryland became the longest-serving female Senator in the history of our country. Breaking this record, which was set by an extraordinary woman in her own time Margaret Chase Smith of…

This industry, 9 months after this accident, deep water drilling is still virtually shut down.

On December 17, Senator Lamar Alexander and I introduced the Child Safety, Care and Education Continuity Act of 2010.

Kids are the focal point of the family, and getting them back into school or child care is essential to allowing their parents to get back to work.

There are $890 billion worth of amendments and projects in the bill we are about to vote on. Within that, there is a package of $800 million in GO Zones, which was put together by me and my colleagues from the Gulf Coast. We fashioned it…

Well, I would just say--with about 30 seconds left-- that I am encouraged, Mr. President, from what I have heard from the Senate Finance Committee chair and the chief negotiator on tax issues on the Republican side that they recognize this…

this Senate is not going to be the same place without the Senator from Indiana. In fact, it will be a lesser place because he has been such an outstanding Senator. I wish to let him know he will be very much missed. He contributed…