The troop increase will accelerate our progress in all areas of Afghanistan's development.

They estimate that our Nation's drinking water systems need over $108 billion in investment just to meet current demands.

According to analysis by the New York State Department of Health, which manages the Drinking Water State Revolving Funds, over the next 20 years New York drinking water systems will require an infusion of nearly $39 billion.

Of the many important issues that this committee is responsible for, I can think of none that touches every American, in every region of the country, more so than ensuring clean drinking water.

As we consider ways to modernize TSCA, we must use the best science to dictate our efforts.

If TSCA, which was intended to give the Agency the authority to control toxic substances, cannot be effectively used to address even the obvious hazards posed by asbestos, it is certainly appropriate for this committee to review the…

I look forward to working with my subcommittee Chairman, Senator Lautenberg, and my fellow Senators as we develop the legislative text.

It is critical that we give regulators the authority, access to information and resources to prevent harmful chemicals from entering into our environment.

I cosponsored legislation with my colleagues Senator Feinstein and Senator Schumer that examines one chemical in particular, Bisphenol-A.

As a mother and Senator representing the State of New York, TSCA is a particularly important issue to me and my constituents.

My hope is that even with the current obstacles the EPA is facing under the current statute, that you will be able to proceed with this critical investigation.

One thing that I have advocated for is a 70-cent increase for school lunches.

Regulatory reform must reflect a financial system that is no longer rooted in the traditional bank but is global in scale and interconnected in ways that our current regulatory framework never envisioned.

We spend about $100 billion a year on obesity.

We could feed our children better foods.

Teaching kids about nutrition--most kids don't understand about nutrition, making that part of the school curriculum.

The United States, with New York as its center, is and must remain the global leader in financial services.

banning trans-fats, just banning them across the board in all schools.

I am very grateful to you and Senator Lincoln for your leadership on this issue.

The Treasury Department deserves a great deal of praise for its own targeted financial sanctions against Iranian institutions.

The work you are doing with the G-20 is critical for the global economy, and ultimately impacts the jobs and welfare of all of our constituents and the people of other countries.

We must develop new solutions to ensure that this does not happen again.

Losing our local producing family-owned dairies will pose an enormous threat to the safety of America's food supply.

I want to thank you all for participating in this hearing. This is obviously the first hearing on a very complex topic that is going to take a lot of time to develop a record and develop testimony and develop the ideas.

I am so pleased that I have the opportunity to co-chair this hearing with my fellow Subcommittee Chairman Senator Casey.