We are very, very concerned, people all over Michigan, the state is concerned, about a 62-year old pipeline.

It seems like even from a financial standpoint this does not make any sense.

I hope that we are going to fully fund and implement the anti-fraud, waste, and abuse provisions in the Affordable Care Act.

I do think it is important to recognize that the improper payment rate, including up or down, is 0.4 percent.

USDA and the food assistance programs have about a 2.6-percent overpayment.

I do think it is important to just register that we have choices about where we focus, whether it is on the working poor, trying to lift themselves up to get out of poverty into the middle class, or whether it is businesses shipping jobs…

first of all, let me agree with the distinguished chairman of the Foreign Relations Committee that, in fact, we did come together on strong sanctions against Iran that has brought us to this situation on a bipartisan basis. We did come…

I have actually worked on these issues a long time. I was thinking about it; it makes me feel old.

I hope we will have the political will to do the things that all of you are talking about, because it is not rocket science.

I hope when we go into discussions about appropriations, we will remember what we have heard here.

I am incredibly frustrated that we are still talking about these issues, because we have two sets of problems.

at a time when we have so many urgent issues on our national agenda--our economy, jobs, all the issues we need to address, such as making sure every American has a fair shot to get ahead after college, has retirement security, and all of…

before my friend from Oregon leaves, I wish to make a couple of comments about our leader on the Finance Committee. Sitting and listening to him about his optimism and hopefulness really helps me have optimism so we can actually come…

first, let me say that it is always a pleasure to work with the senior Senator from North Dakota. We partnered on a number of different things, including efforts on the farm bill. So it is with great pleasure that I am partnering with him…

first let me say it is important that we fund the highway trust fund and that we have a long-term commitment to the infrastructure of our country--the jobs, the economy, the neighborhoods. I see the distinguished Senator from Oklahoma…

I say to the chairman that Senator Portman and I will have an amendment.

Thank you very much, Mr. Chairman, for that clarification. I do want to indicate very clearly that for communities around this country, this is a big deal. This is certainly a big deal for Michigan, and I can't in any way support any…

it is clear to me that No Child Left Behind was broken and that it was not serving the best interest of children in Michigan or the rest of the country. That is why I voted to support the passage of the Every Child Achieves Act, which…

I wanted to ask you, Senator Shaheen has put forward an effort as a part of this package...

Well, thank you, Mr. Chairman. I just wanted to say again that what we are doing today builds on what we did in the farm bill, which was a great bipartisan effort.

I just want to thank you for putting together a bipartisan package of bills.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman, for holding the hearing.

we are penny-wise and pound-foolish as we look at various things, where we need to be getting ahead of it in terms of prevention

I have one more topic I would like to speak about today, and that is the fact that we have a looming deadline. In 36 days, the highway trust fund is going to be at zero-- empty. In 36 days as of today, if we do not act together, there will…

first I have to say that clearly there are two Americas on how we view health care, that is for sure, after hearing my colleague speak about the ``disaster'' of providing tens of millions of people health insurance, affordable health…