The increasing consolidation of hospital markets, and the federal antitrust response to those consolidations has been and will continue to be an issue that not only Staten Islanders face, but is an issue that is of significant community…

I think it was you who mentioned, 'Death by 1,000 regulatory cuts,' and, as you know, a lack of private securitizations.

to check common sense at the door.

I think we do need more of that.

Do you understand at least the frame of mind, that they feel they are being punished for something they had nothing to do with?

The accountability is one of the biggest issues we have. It is one of the reasons I ran for Congress because I felt that no one is held accountable.

I believe that in my heart and soul.

And if you think a bureaucracy is going to make things more efficient and more effective, then you probably should be medicated.

Therefore, I am encouraged by this committee considering these four pieces of legislation, two of which, I might add, were put together on a bipartisan basis.

Would you say that the extremely high unemployment rate is solely due to the financial breakdown?

I think we can definitely be concerned that the international markets may not move as quickly to promulgate the rules.