Heidi Heitkamp

I want to just tell you I have a particular interest in this, which is making sure small institutions are able to participate in mortgage lending to begin with before you can even get into the secondary mortgage market.

I think it is really quite remarkable that you are all coming with about the same level of suggestions. And it is, I think a tribute to the great work that has been done by Senator Corker and Senator Warner in vetting this process to begin…

Maybe we ought to rethink that as a strategy.

We have multiple examples now of where we failed in the clearance system.

I might expect you to think about doing that in a building that houses thousands of people in a city that frequently is a target symbolically of terrorism or these kinds of attacks.

There has to be serious consequences for not reporting. There has to be serious consequences for lying.

When you apply for this clearance, you waive your right to privacy.

Is that what we are hearing today?

It seems like there might be some cost/benefit in safety in looking at electronic surveillance.

It is troubling that there does not seem to be a lot of kind of creative thinking on how we can use the resources we have more effectively to protect folks.

The first obligation of any employer is safety.

I think this is such a critically important response and quick response to this horrible tragedy.

I do want to kind of pick up from where Senator Coburn has taken the discussion, which is security is--I guess if I can just say it this way--best done when it is clear that this is a high priority.

Random checks are a critical and important part of this.

I applaud your work. I would like to know how many have actually been discharged or disciplined for either lying on applications.

We are all frustrated here with this process.

We desperately need to be thinking about how we protect consumers, how we get access to those markets.

I think these hearings are just so valuable for us to gather information.

Home ownership is the bedrock of really our political philosophy, also the bedrock of wealth creation for many, many middle-class families.

I am struck because we are talking not only about the shutdown, but we are also talking about this uncertainty about the debt limit and what interest rates--how they all affect all of you.

I want to assure the witnesses, we understand that your time is valuable, but your stories are extraordinarily important.

I think it's going pretty well if the adults have taken over.

If we default, if we continue to do this, we will reap the whirlwind of the consequences of that.

Damages will be visited on every American if we do this.

The United States should honor its obligations and pay its bills in full and on time, period.