Al Franken

They are exploiting children. They are continuing the exploitation, the sexual exploitation of children, and how serious this is.

I feel very strongly about that. I feel that the victims are the children and the women who are adult children who are the result of this exploitation, and that the adult males who frequent prostitutes are the ones who should be in prison.

But if that happened to the johns... might the demand go down and may we save some of our children?

Well, I just want to say that Paul Wellstone was a leader on this issue, and this is something that Minnesota has had its eye on and has been addressing.

To what extent is it crucial to stigmatize the people, the men who patronize prostitutes and get everyone to understand that what they are doing is continuing the exploitation of children?

Only 70 beds, that is what I heard from Senator Wyden. That is remarkable. That is unbelievable.

So if it has never happened, it does not seem like that aspect of it is a major problem, the 'shall' versus 'may.'

Well, as someone who has written and been sued here and won, this is of interest to me, and so I did not have an opening statement prepared, but I look forward to the testimony.

If a cable company wants to carry 'Saturday Night Live,' and they cannot, they are not--no one is going to use that cable company.

It matters who runs our media companies.

The real answer is: Do not let the market power be created if you cannot really enforce and police the commitments.

Given that it is really hard to trust you guys, from my point of view, and given that resolving these matters is so one-sided in favor of the big guy.

I am a United States Senator representing the people of Minnesota, people who buy cable, whose cable bills have gone up at three times the rate of inflation since 1995.

There is no question about that. People in my industry--or my former industry--they know that.

I am not a lawyer. But I used to be in show business.

I come to this hearing with a slightly different perspective.

I really feel I owe a lot to NBC.

I am worried that this merger could set off another round of media consolidation.

I rise today to urge my colleagues to support the nomination of Patricia Smith to be Solicitor of Labor. Ms. Smith is a well qualified, might I say exemplary, nominee and I enthusiastically support her confirmation. Most recently, Ms…

I very much admire his work and career.

The NLRB plays a vital role in ensuring worker protections, and Mr. Becker will be a valued addition to the board.

When you are having 50 percent nationwide unemployment in Indian Country, you almost don't know where to start.

I think that these loan guaranty programs I think are a critical element, but at this point are very much under-funded.

This is an issue of great importance to the tribes in my State.

I want to thank you for your commitment to work on this.