The more efficiently we can use dollars for Medicaid, the more people we can help, and that is very important to me.

I still support this process, but I will note that there are many important and innovative steps being made to improve the quality of health care in Minnesota of which I am very proud.

I applaud this Committee, Mr. Chairman, and, of course, our Ranking Members for looking into the good use of the public dollar.

And if I may also add, we underfund an agency, and then when a Madoff situation comes up we blame the agency...

I want to urge you to continue that effort, because it seems to me that one of the problems we get into in this committee... is that we start with a simple idea: What is the ratio of CEO pay to other average employees?

I can't escape the fact that our Nation was brought to the brink of financial collapse in October 2008.

religious or ethnic or racial stereotyping is simply not good policing, and it threatens the values Americans hold dear.

While any profiling of Americans based on race, ethnicity, religion, or national origin is disturbing, I think it is important also to note that it is poor law enforcement.

Make no mistake, every tax cut for a millionaire is an education cut for America's children.

Our budget, our people's budget, must put Americans back to work rebuilding our great country.

the people's budget, which we do intend to submit, is based on the values of fiscal soundness, fairness, and shared contribution.