Bob Menendez

I have a real problem with their lack of protection of intellectual property rights.

Opening up further trade with Cuba is likely to enrich the military and Castro allies at the expense of the Cuban people.

I am concerned that this is the wrong top priority.

I do not believe that trade deficits are inherently a serious problem.

I would just simply say that in my view that is in line with what Trade Promotion Authority says under the law.

I think if you choose to address reducing deficits by expanding American exports, that is great.

We cannot cede foreign policy decision-making to the Department of Defense or the Intelligence Community.

Airstrikes are not a policy. Intelligence-gathering operations are not a policy.

I have not found too many dictators that willingly, through engagement, give up their powers.

I do not quite understand it, is engagement with dictatorships that basically own everything and do not want to give it up.

I believe in American exceptionalism in so many ways.

I think, clearly, it allowed the Maduro government, it gave it some breathing room.

There would be a lot of people who would be happy to see me leave the Senate.

I get real concern when I see Cuba's influence in Venezuela.

I think we must be clear in naming the regime... a dictatorship, because that is what it is.

I have been intimately involved and paying close attention to Venezuela for some time.

I cannot imagine us doing anything but having troops on the ground for a very long period of time.

We have yet to see anyone nominated for critical positions at the State Department.

I hope that sometime soon the administration will nominate individuals that the committee can consider.

I cannot vote for someone to be the Administrator of one of the most significant agencies that affects the health care of people in the country if I cannot glean from you in an open hearing under oath what your answers are to these…

Medicare is a big part of what CMS deals with.

I want to make sure that you know that you are not alone.

There should be a vigorous pursuit of giving assistance to human rights activists, political dissidents, independent journalists who are jailed simply because they peacefully try to express their position.

A murderer is a murderer.

It is just amazing to me. And I hear nothing about that in terms of our State Department and our engagement. So I hope things will change.