Ben Cardin

U.S. leadership is critically important.

It is critically important that we are working with the international community. We cannot do this alone.

That is not consistent with the information I have received, so I would appreciate if you could clarify that in specifics.

I think we all understand that extremists get their strength from people who are desperate and have little hope.

We are very concerned to make sure we protect intellectual property.

There should not be much controversy in requiring standing for someone to challenge.

I think that is criminal, and I think that is an abuse that really needs to be corrected.

I cannot imagine the fear that a small high-tech firm must go through if they receive a letter where they do not know really the source of who is behind it, who threatens their existence, challenging their legitimacy to the work that they…

Well, Chairman Vitter, first of all, thank you for convening this hearing.

We are trying to balance two different thoughts on how the patent system is working.

Only this Committee focuses on the small business community, and it is very appropriate that we have a hearing dealing with the impact of these policies as they affect small business.

The role of small business is critical to the dialogue on patents.

I can't understand why there would be any objection to allowing the States to move forward.

I want to thank Senator Boxer for her passion on this issue and recognizing that we can do better and continuing to raise those issues.

I thank you for holding this hearing to allow us all to reflect once again on how fortunate we were to serve in the U.S. Senate with Frank Lautenberg.

I hope this means that we may be able to center in some areas that can really bring us together.

The current TSCA law does not work. We have a responsibility to enact a law that will work.

We think this is one of the categories. As you point out, what it basically does is leverage private sector involvement to protect our fish habitats.

I hope that we will have a chance, Mr. Chairman, as we talk about putting together a bill, looking at those issues that truly are not controversial but give us a chance to make significant progress to protect habitats.

I think we have a good chance to get this bill to the finish line.

Of course, our objective is to look at areas that do not cause additional concerns on the support.

We would like to take the best practices and share that so that we can get more activity and get more opportunity for small businesses and minority businesses to be able to take advantage of the opportunities of this country.

And for those reasons, we have to pay greater attention to it.

If someone sells his or her business to a minority or a woman, one, the profits they make off of that sale, they would not have to pay state taxes.

It is the reason why the SBA administrator is so much in favor of Ex-Im Bank reauthorization.