Michelle Lujan Grisham

I really appreciate it. I think there is lots of work to do to make not only better and productive decisions...

Thank you, Mr. Chairman, and thank you for having this hearing.

It doesn't appear that it has helped many New Mexicans.

I look forward to having you back in the district, and we are ready to work with you.

One of the things that I can say that based on Massachusetts' reform experience in the past eight years, outreach and education is really one of the most critical efforts; it is the most important investment area, particularly the most…

We know that 8 out of 10 Hispanics are likely eligible for Medicaid, one of the Medicaid programs or subsidized coverage, and yet we have half the Hispanic population is not going to be insured;

I spent, actually, before coming to Congress, some time working with our State legislature...

I think that is really important. And as the rest of the panel answers, and I appreciate the reference to your partners who are part of those grant investments, but also looking at--tell me what you will do differently going forward…

I disagree that there ought to, still, be any effort not to hold them accountable based on what the Federal law says.

So social welfare organizations must exclusively promote social welfare under Federal law but, instead, they are spending hundreds of millions of dollars on political campaign activity while keeping their donors secret.

And political campaign activities are not a (c)(4) social welfare, not part of their mission, correct?

I am going to take something the chairman said, and I hope he doesn't mind, and use it out of context. So all means all. I am going to go back to none means none.

I need to know that another act of Congress would actually be taken seriously and be followed exactly as the law says.

I have to tell you I don't understand that because the law is clear.

Under Federal statute, charities cannot engage in any political activity, correct?

But that information is available quarterly, or do you do kind of an annual report?

The Department of Defense has an obligation to do absolutely everything that it possibly can do to be open, transparent, comforting, supportive.

I cannot imagine the pain of losing a family member or a loved one in this kind of an incident.

And how often are those reports or suggestions, is that annually? Do you do it quarterly, and I would suggest that we have more access to that kind of information in this committee, Mr. Chairman.

And given that each one of these tragedies is very difficult to accept, we want to absolutely evaluate it in the context of mitigating for the future but also supporting men and women and, again, the family members who suffer these kinds…

Can you give me some specifics. So that is going to be counseling? Are there therapeutic services, an opportunity for suggestions about how to improve those processes, involvement in the services to the highest degree possible?

Sometimes. In any event, Mr. Chairman, thank you for that.

Some may think that tax breaks for millionaires and billionaires are unnecessary.

I can't imagine anyone is going to disagree that paying $900 for a hammer is a good idea.

I look forward to many more hearings like this and finding real areas of cooperation.