Al Franken

If men were angels, there would be no need for government. I think that's Madison.

This is the Fourth Amendment. The right of the people to be secure in their persons houses, papers and effect against unreasonable searches and seizures should not be violated and no warrants shall issue but upon probable cause supported…

I just want to make sure that there are no transfers of people to other countries for torture.

I was struck with your talking about drug courts and mental health courts, which I was not aware of.

I think it is critically important, because as we have all said, most of these folks in local, State, and Federal prisons, they are going to go home at some point in the future.

I think that there are many far better alternatives than incarceration for those who should not be incarcerated.

I believe we do. And I believe that it puts a burden on everyone, including the psychiatrists in these prisons.

I was very happy to hear Senator Coburn's remarks on treatment and am very encouraged by that.

Addressing mental health is essential for the well-being of our children.

Thank you Chairman Dorgan and Vice-Chair Barrasso for holding this timely and important hearing.

In my opening statement I asked whether we should consider a nationwide moratorium on the death penalty.

The fact is that many forensic tests have never been exposed to stringent scientific scrutiny.

We incarcerate more people than any other industrialized nation--in fact, we incarcerate more people than any nation, period.

I found the article extremely disturbing and the findings of the National Academy's report to be terrifying.

These are worrying figures for any country, let alone the world's leading democracy.

I am honored to join the Indian Affairs Committee which plays such an important role for our tribal communities all across the Country.

Back in Minnesota and all across the Country, young native women are also falling victim to sexual crimes and increased trafficking.

The rise in gang activity is a serious concern for our communities.

I'm proud that my State of Minnesota was the first State to enact legislation, in 1993, requiring public reporting of drug-company marketing payments to doctors.

Medicine is a lot better now than it was when we were kids. That doesn't mean that industry should fund CME.

But, the conclusion of all of you is that this practice, of industry-funded and specific industry-funded CME drives up the cost of medicine in this country?

Thank you, gentlemen.

So, when the healthcare reform debate takes place, and there are some Senators, like myself, who think that the money to pay for this is actually there in the system, that if we do this right, we can save enough money to cover everybody…

the synergy, Senator Franken, is huge.

Even under Minnesota's progressive State law, the influence of industry on healthcare is rampant.