Bob Menendez

I think we have to decide whether USAID is going to play a role in democracy-building or not.

When you cut democracy and governance by 38 percent, it does not lead us in the right direction.

I am concerned that democracy and governance at USAID under the President's tenure has been cut by 38 percent.

But even those most basic standards were struck down by a Federal appeals court in 2014, which ruled that the IRS did not have the statutory authority to regulate those paid preparers.

The idea is simple: make sure that those who are handling sensitive financial information and filing returns on behalf of taxpayers have some training and actually know what they are doing.

I just have a real fierce sense of urgency, and I cannot, you know, elaborate on that enough to drive that point home.

3.5 million American citizens, and I underline that, American citizens who have fought in our armed forces in just about every conflict this country has had for the last century.

There is a fierce urgency of 'now' on this issue, and I just do not get the sense that many of my colleagues understand that.

The problem with that is that the debt payments in Puerto Rico are 36 percent of Puerto Rico's annual revenue, a rate that is six times the U.S. average.

I hope we can prick the conscience of the Senate to move on this issue, Mr. Chairman, because this is really consequential to millions of people.

I think it is being politicized for the hedge funds, the bottom feeders who bought cheap and now want to maximize their profits.

This legislation was also an implicit recognition from the administration that strategic patience has failed and it was time for a new policy of strength.

We need to keep Crimea, quote, 'in the back of our minds,' and the key to dealing with Russia was getting the NATO piece right.

They are seeking to divide the union, using NGO monies, energy as a form of blackmail.

We need to hold firm on some of the core principles: the restoration, ultimately, of Ukraine's national sovereignty.

It is the nature of the accommodation that is very important.

I cannot allow a hearing go by in which we are largely in applause and have no concerns.

The way that you make lives better is by trying to change that which is negative.

The region will not, in my opinion, develop as it should without strengthening the rule of law and institutions because it will not be able to attract investment in order to build a more secure future.

I think many of our Latin American neighbors use the issue of Cuba to excuse the lack of democracy and human rights in many of their countries.

It seems to me that that is the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the OAS Democratic Charter.

It sounds a lot like Venezuela.

But what I do not get a sense from your presentations, and I would like to pursue with you, is the question of democracy and human rights.

May I just take a moment to congratulate you, Mr. Cardin, for your leadership in organizing the letter signed by 157 legislatures across the hemisphere.

This threatens to become a full-blown institutional crisis with regional implications.