Mike Capuano

I will tell you that I understand full well that the SEC is understaffed, and I will tell you that I hope you recognize this.

A few years ago, the Supreme Court made a ruling that corporations are people, and they can spend money anywhere they want in political stating which is fine.

If I had to pick one thing that put us in the situation we are here at the moment is the tax decisions we made in the early part of this century.

I apologize for missing some of the hearing, but, well, we all have other things to do.

Debt matters. Of course it matters.

I guess, again, for me, I love the idea of coming up with new tools in the toolbox, I really do.

It is a great loan. I wish I could get one.

Now, I think that is terrible of us to say that all future elected officials won't do their jobs as well as we do, we are better than them. That is ridiculous, it is insulting.

We are tying their hands in whatever crisis they may face 20 years from now.

It bothers me a little bit to say that future elected officials won't do their jobs.

If we put more money on the table, these projects would happen.

Wouldn't it just be easier if we fully funded the Highway Trust Fund, or if we fully funded the New Starts program?

I just want to be clear that everybody here understands. Private activity bonds exist because, and solely, because of Federal tax policy.

I am really concerned about that, because my big fear is you move a project up 17 years, yes, I get to use it.

Right now, today, the Commonwealth of Massachusetts is losing hundreds of millions of dollars each year directly from the Federal Government.

I actually think it is a good idea. But let's not forget how we got where we are.

I do think that there is a problem having so many regulatory bodies participating in one rule.

You took your time. You are trying to do it right.

I am more than open to amending it if you think that somehow we missed a comma or we have to tweak it.

I look forward to working with you as we move forward to get it right.

I have always believed that. Even when there were regulators that I didn't agree with, I have always thought that regulators, like most Members of Congress, are good people trying to make the world a better place.

I think that each of you should be prepared, not from me, but at some point during this hearing, someone may as well just ask you, why do you hate America?

I do believe that slowly but surely over time we are going to come to a more federalized system.

I didn't hear anybody who actually said that you would rather have the Fed doing this than FIO.

The insurance industry has clearly and unequivocally changed over the years, as you have said yourself, and become much more complicated.