Bob Menendez

They are all on notice of that. And they need to, again, get up to snuff.

But for your agency, do you think that this action would have taken, consumers would have been saved the $140, $150 million?

I want to take this opportunity to congratulate you, Director, and Elizabeth Warren and the hundreds of dedicated Consumer Financial Protection Bureau employees for the work of protecting consumers against big Wall Street banks, credit…

I understand my distinguished colleague from Oklahoma has asked consent to speak at 6:30 p.m. I will take about 10 or 15 minutes, which would put us about 5 minutes past that time. So I ask unanimous consent to speak for about 15 minutes…

Let me just quickly--there are some core reform provisions that I would like to get your comment on.

These reforms cannot wait and that they are urgently needed now.

Thank you, Senator Reed, for your leadership in this field.

The need for action really is.

Thank you very much.

This hearing of the Senate Banking Committee's Subcommittee on Housing, Transportation, and Community Development will examine opportunities to improve the Department of Housing and Urban Development's rental housing assistance programs.

I think there is a tendency to forget how incredibly pressing the need for action really is.

Your family would stop building and stop taking risks if such a proposal became law.

I do think that to the extent that we are spending money in the hemisphere, rule-of-law programs and efforts to strengthen the rule of law is incredibly important.

In doing so, it increases the possibility that issues in countries--Venezuela, for example--involving democracy, transparency, freedom of the press can be perpetuated.

Do you believe there is an opportunity for that to be realized?

The protection of labor rights and the environment are fundamental tenants of prosperity here in the United States and overseas.

I hope our advocacy would be to ensure that it is included because that would be part of Mexico's NAFTA obligations.

Well, what are we willing to do--maybe, Mr. Secretary, this might be more of your bailiwick.

I have a sense, however, that we have a reticence, when we have exhausted the carrots, not to use the stick, and that is problematic because carrots do not come in unlimited supplies.

And that continues to be a challenge to the United States.

It seems to me that the Chinese are clearly, in one of its priorities, after Latin American mineral resources.

Working together, we believe that we are at a pivotal point in our relationships with the Western Hemisphere.

I believe this is an important step toward strengthening Mexico's IPR regime and to ensuring trade partners comply fully with their obligations.

If you do not send a message that you cannot with impunity go ahead and violate those trade agreements and arbitration awards...

While I am all for creating economic opportunity and jobs in the DR and in the CAFTA region, as well as in the African countries, that we need to be concerned about creating jobs here in the United States.