That really is heartening to me, and that suggests that we're making a real difference.

Let's improve our public schools, let's support our charter schools, and let's give the opportunity for D.C. scholarships to private schools so that we can give a better education to more of the students in this city.

I remember Senator Landrieu bringing up the issues of the impact of designating an area as a V-zone many times.

What percentage of the District schoolchildren are now enrolled in charter schools?

It is imperative that FEMA have strict controls to ensure that the money is being used to achieve the baseline emergency preparedness.

Senator Durbin has, understandably, brought up many times, and that is looking at testing.

Contentious litigation-style appeals are no substitute for the cooperation that FEMA should be fostering.

I think it would be a tragedy if this program were eliminated at this point.

We do need accountability, transparency, and oversight. That is the only way we're going to be able to determine what the impact of the Federal investment that we've made is producing.

I really urge you to take a look at this. We need to be willing to use all the tools that we have.

There was a case where a Mexican citizen with a contagious form of resistant tuberculosis was able to cross the border...

I am concerned that the Department seems to be very hesitant to use technology more fully to try to identify travelers.

Of all those hearings, the one that stands out most in my mind because it was so tragic and so preventable was the hearing that looked at the number of homebound individuals and elderly, sick individuals in nursing homes who died because…

I, for one, accept the medical advice we heard that closing the border was not the answer.

I personally think that we need to strengthen the law in this area and come up with a risk-based security scheme.

What will you do to make sure that we do not have these egregious gaps in communication?

What will you do to ensure that all resources are brought to bear by States, by local governments, and by the Federal Government to ensure that we never again see homebound elderly individuals who are incapable of evacuating themselves, or…

I am particularly interested in hearing Dr. Garza's thoughts on our ability to surge medical resources to respond to major medical events.

The thermal scanners are not perfect, that is certainly true, but they are a tool...

I think that there is a very strong logic that whatever position limits we have be consistently applied across the markets.

I certainly hope that you will. I do not think it makes sense--even though I have great respect for the exchanges--to delegate that authority.

Last year, we had a lot of discussion about closing what is known as the 'London loophole.'

Well, I certainly want to give you that authority.

I personally believe that while I commend the Commission for looking at regulatory reforms, we also need to legislate in this area.

So that is a huge influence on the market.