There is no issue that is more important than what we are discussing today.

we need to remind ourselves, with a Federal minimum wage right now of $7.25, we have a bill pending to raise it to $10.10.

The constant refrain is, no, we cannot raise the minimum wage because it will cost jobs, there will be fewer people employed.

We have to do better than this for our children.

When college costs were a lot lower.

So you are saying that what was happening in New York had nothing to do with it, you were not trying to get in front of anything?

Well, I hope we both agree that the only thing that Treasury would be doing appropriately would be trying to enforce the law and making sure that the banks are enforcing these sanctions and not worrying about the atmospherics around that.

And the word 'atmospherics' means what in this context?

We have broad consensus in this country that we would prefer a negotiated solution in the Middle East.

I support strong sanctions because I think they are necessary to make this strategy work.

If the Iranians see that the sanctions cannot be lifted, then they will be only more firmly entrenched in pursuing nuclear weapons.