Chris Van Hollen

We need to bring that same determination to some of these other challenges around the world.

I represent the State of Maryland, and the Chesapeake Bay is an example of an ongoing restoration effort.

At the current extinction rate experts estimate the Earth is losing one major drug every 2 years.

Well, we did. And thank you, Senator Coons, for holding this hearing on this important subject, international conservation and the connection between conservation and security, and prosperity.

The U.S. Government, the Biden administration, has spoken out strongly when other countries attempt to pass laws that clamp down on civil society, including through NGOs.

I just wanted to get an update from you as to where that was, on our side, with respect to your sign off?

Let me also applaud you and the Biden administration for your help in providing human rights and other assistance to folks in the West Bank in Gaza under very, very difficult circumstances.

I know Senator Merkley mentioned to you our recent trip to Vietnam and Indonesia.

What are we prepared to do when we see violations of those commitments?

But it seems to me that we look very weak when we continually make statements without any kind of consequence.

I just think it is going to be really important that we have in place a specific plan with our partners so that we are ready to go, and that China knows we are ready to go, because the deterrent effect of that, I think, depends on their…

The friendship knows no limits.

We need to make sure our allies and partners are on board.

Do we have a break-the-glass plan?

We are pleased with the progress that has being made.

I am hoping that you would agree that all economists would agree that it is a bad idea to default on our debt.

We are asking you to take a look at that when you do that.

I do think that making sure that folks who, especially very wealthy folks pay their taxes on time is important.

I hope in the coming weeks we can have a sober conversation up here about the budget and deficits.

I really hope, Madam Secretary, that we won't do that.

The first act of the House under new leadership of Speaker McCarthy when they repealed the Inflation Reduction Act, according to CBO, that would increase the deficit relative to where we are today by $114 billion, right?

Where the money is in uncollected taxes is in very wealthy, wealthy folks who are not paying their taxes on time, right?

Whether you make spending cuts, whether you make revenue increases, people can have a healthy disagreement on that front.

The deficit would be $3 trillion higher than if than it is today.

One quarter of the total accumulated national debt was incurred during the 4 years of the Trump Administration.