I rise to introduce the High School Data Transparency Act in celebration of the 39th Anniversary of Title IX. I am pleased to be joined again this year by my colleague from Washington, Senator Murray. Since the 108th Congress, we have…

as former Chair and now Ranking Member of the Senate Small Business Committee, it is my privilege and my responsibility today to stand up for small businesses across America that are being unfairly hurt by a punitive and unnecessary tax…

That is one of the things we tried to resolve with the Deepwater acquisition program reforms, was to make sure you received the money in a given year so that you can move forward.

I've said this time and again, given the age of the vessels.

It is regrettable, because this is one of the things we tried to avoid in the past.

We're far below the 300-ship Navy that was the original goal.

Unfortunately, the level of procurement never sustained even a 300-ship Navy.

The common theme emerging is that for years we've asked the Coast Guard to save American lives and natural resources on a shoestring budget.

I'm very grateful to the Congress for providing all the money in the 2011 budget so that we could award NSC number 5 this summer.

Unfortunately, yes, it was a significant setback.

You are asked to do more with less, and being stretched thin.

It is important because in New England the commercial fishing industry continues to have the highest fatality rate of any occupation, which is deeply troubling.

Last year, as you know, in Congress we passed the Coast Guard Reauthorization Act which addressed some ongoing concerns about the acquisition management process.

So, we cannot continue to heap mission upon mission onto the Coast Guard without increasing its resources.

I appreciate, Mr. Chairman, your leadership, and for convening this hearing to discuss the future of our nation's most versatile branch, the Coast Guard.

I rise today to enthusiastically support the nomination of Leon Panetta, the current Director of the Central Intelligence Agency, to be the 23rd Secretary of Defense. Director Panetta has contributed nearly five decades of public service…

I hope you will use your voice and the force of the office on the whole issue of regulations.

There's no doubt Mr. Bryson has a very extensive background in the corporate arena, as CEO of Edison International.

I think it is so paramount in focusing on job creation.

We need to have a Commerce Department being that singular weapon on behalf of the private sector to create the kind of jobs.

last night, the Boston Bruins completed a stunning comeback to win the Stanley Cup for the first time since 1972. This monumental victory is a testament to the team's workmanlike approach to the game, and there is much praise to go around…

Just on that last issue on the improper payments, is it difficult to define what an improper payment is?

I guess on a lot of these issues, Administrator Mills and Ms. Gustafson, what is in place, what is actually operational and implemented, because I think that that is still not clear on some of the enforcement mechanisms.

Well, I just hope that we can find some agreement and move forward because, obviously, this is languishing in terms of improper payments, collection, corrective action, enforcement action, and so on.

So what is the problem here?