yesterday, in the Rose Garden, President Obama made clear the choice Members of this body face as they vote on the DISCLOSE Act. It is a choice between granting special interests unfettered and secret influence over their elections and the…

No one has worked as hard or as effectively as Senator Harkin has on issues affecting people with disabilities. It is personal for him, but Senator Harkin has taken up what was a personal issue for him growing up, about his brother and now…

The unfortunate reality is that--whether we're talking education, poverty, violence, or health--the well-being of our Nation's children is not made a high enough priority.

last April a German clothing company, Hugo Boss, announced it was planning to close down its only North American manufacturing plant located in Brooklyn, OH, outside of Cleveland. Hugo Boss told us they were going to expand their American…

Does that mean that Chinese goods sold into this country are underpriced 10 to 30 percent?

To add on top of that having to fight, tooth and nail, just to get your son or daughter the coverage that is, in many ways and certain cases, actually already under contract.

It just seems to me that China plays us out on this currency and continues its--it is, as you say, an effective subsidy.

If we're falling short in our efforts to cure and treat pediatric diseases and conditions, we're falling woefully and inadequately short in our efforts to cure and treat rare and neglected pediatric diseases and conditions.

I do not expect partisanship in this room today--and that is to the credit of this committee's leadership.

With all our medical technology and advancements, no child in this country should ever be denied medical treatment that is available and proven effective.

There's been a lot of partisanship in the halls of Congress recently. But, I don't expect partisanship in this room today.

To address this, Nino's Act will require Medicaid to cover the cost of treatment in the event that a child's health insurance does not.

Well, thank you. Thank you all for your commitment, your activism, and your work that you do for so many around the country whom you don't know, and around the world.

Another innovative strategy, this one spearheaded by Senator Specter, is the Cures Action Network.

Despite the fact that children and adolescents account for one-fifth of our Nation's population, pediatric research by NIH accounts for a mere 5 to 10 percent of the total NIH budget.

What you deal with when you have a child who has a disorder like this is, in so many ways, crushing, and changes your life.

I join with Senator Mikulski from Maryland and her comments about extending unemployment benefits. We all know these numbers. In my State, 47,000 Ohioans lost their unemployment benefits. At the end of June, that number increased…

The unfortunate reality is that, whether we're talking about education or poverty or violence or health, the well-being of our Nation's children is not made a high enough priority.

I would like to commend Senator Brownback, from Kansas, who's been a leader in developing innovative ways to encourage research in diseases that lack a large market incentive.

Thank you, Chairman Dodd.

Nino's Act will give these children and their parents the peace of mind in knowing that when a study ends, their children's successful ongoing treatment will not end.

Senator Brownback and I were successful, 3-plus years ago, during the FDA authorization, in authorizing a Priority Review Voucher Program that awards a voucher for expedited FDA review to any company that obtains approval for a treatment…

This is a hearing that shows a good side of the U.S. Senate, with the kind of bipartisan cooperation that Senator Enzi is known for around here.

you described China's undervalued currency, quote, ``as an effective subsidy for Chinese exporters.''

Thank you, Ms. Moon.