Has the Trump Administration gone too far and corrupted the intent of RFRA by allowing more and more exceptions and special rules leading this law to be used as a weapon of discrimination?

OFCCP has a long history of enforcing civil rights provisions that protect the employees of Federal contractors.

I am pleased that the four amendments I proposed to this bill will be made in order. These amendments reflect some of the most important priorities in my district. First, they offer an amendment to increase funding for mental health…

I really appreciate the comments by Ranking Member Foxx and I couldn't agree with more what she had to say.

Thank you, Chair, Mr. Chairman, and Ranking Member Foxx for your leadership in looking for innovative ideas.

That is just so unacceptable. It is mind boggling.

Congress has a responsibility to explore innovative strategies that provide more students the support they need to complete college and reach their full potential.

It is disappointing.

I am not convinced that it is an effective way to bring Iran to the negotiating table.

Every year three is 600,0000 folks that should be graduating and they would have graduated but instead they are coming out of incarceration.

I want to reiterate I really appreciate the comments by Ranking Member Foxx and I couldn't agree with more what she had to say and especially struck by the 58 percent. That is just so unacceptable. It is mind boggling.

I do not think that holding people accountable is punishment. And I do not think that work is punishment. I think that work is opportunity.

The rule is shameful and if you are not pushing back that is doubly shameful. It is an abdication of your duties.

But that has been basically the process for the entire time we have had this focus and we are not making any progress.

I understand rural America and my district is very rural. There is actually deeper struggles with hunger in rural areas.

Okay. We have got to move past the good intentions.

The 2017 report found that the total economic impact in the U.S. is 14.8 billion annually.

It is great to see the committee coming together in a bipartisan way to prioritize and address this issue.

A top priority of mine is criminal justice reform. I believe the impact of education on these individuals that have been incarcerated, society as a whole is crucial.

A Maryland graduate can expect to make a million dollars more a year due to that credential.

We know the community colleges and historically black colleges and universities and other minority serving institutions play a key role in providing college opportunities for low income students and students of color.

It is not just the skills that are changing, that are, you know, that are going to help people retain employment.

We made community college free. Anybody in our state who graduates from high school now can go to community college or technical school.

We believe that investment in education in the State of Tennessee is going to pay huge dividends for our State.

In Tennessee we recognized--we had a skills gap and we recognized that in our State.