Maurice Hinchey

We have right now the greatest concentration of wealth in the wealthiest 1 percent of the people of this country since 1929.

This is a country that needs to focus attention on the internal needs and therefore the creation of jobs.

The elements of this bill are critically important. Pay-as-you-go is essential. It is critically essential at this point in the issues being dealt with by this country. If you look back over the course of the last several years, you will…

A lot of that has to do with the sharp decline in the economy which had to do, in large measure, with the manipulation of commercial and investment banking.

We allowed it to happen intentionally because there was a great interest on the part of some people to make as much money as possible.

The unemployment rate itself in this country is now up above 10 percent.

this country is dealing with one of the most difficult and damaging economic circumstances that it has experienced over the course of our history.

Nothing should be too big to fail.

The actions that have been taken indicate that there is a substantial amount of effectiveness.

This increase in the unemployment rate to 10.2 percent... is the highest we've had since the 1980s.

The main cause of the economic recession that we have been experiencing was the deregulation of the banking industry.

Unless this situation is corrected, as it was done in 1933 in the context of the Great Depression...

That is too big to fail safely. That is what we have got to avoid. That is what we have got to get rid of.

We now have a set of circumstances that if you look at the top 1 percent, you have the same amount of wealth in the hands of the top 1 percent, the wealthiest 1 percent of the people, that you did in 1928 and 1929, right now.

As it continues, all of these banks, which are so important in communities, particularly small communities all over the country, it is going to have a very negative effect on the economic conditions there in those areas.

I have been supporting that for I think roughly about 16, 17 years here.

Many people are asking, why are we even having this hearing today? My response to that is that it could not come at a more important time, and thank you, Mr. Chairman.

We are in the process now of trying to get Federal recognition of certain areas in New York, including in the Hudson Valley...

Those are national public lands and they were set up as national public lands because they were abandoned by the states.

I agree with Peter, I think that this would be a very viable way of creating jobs in Utah.

This bill reflects updated inventory information.

It is also a great pleasure to be here with other witnesses who will be speaking later who have traveled here today from Utah.

The great wildlands of Utah that are owned by the American people are under threat.

I appreciate your scheduling this hearing and giving us all the opportunity to be here to talk about this.

It is fitting that we are having this hearing while PBS is airing Ken Burns' new documentary, 'The National Parks: America's Best Idea.'