We would like to have a buffer in that world. Is that something you could consider examining and supporting?

Franklin Roosevelt said that the test of our progress is not whether we add more to the abundance of those who have much, but whether we do enough for those who have little.

This program is zeroed out in the President's budget, which was quite a shock.

We should be trying to wipe it out right now rather than risking it spreading across the Nation.

We have a water mold pathogen in Oregon, referred to as Sudden Oak Death, and it is a huge threat to our nursery industry.

Is that not the type of win-win we should actually be doubling down on in this contentious world?

I want to echo Senator Daines' comments on secure rural schools.

My concern is in being in competition with a diminishing supply of resources, these programs will be damaged.

It is simply a situation where when we do exceed the account and have to shut down other programs, then even the removing the dead and dying trees, well, the prevention side gets robbed to pay the fire suppression side.

just a little less than 2 weeks ago, President Trump released his proposed budget for fiscal year 2018, which would begin October 1. He named his plan ``A New Foundation for American Greatness.'' While unveiling this budget, Director…

Wouldn't it be better for a student to do Work Study in order to reduce the amount of debt that they have, but you cut in half the Federal Work Study program?

Another thing that increases the amount of debt is the Pell Grant proposal you put forward does not keep pace, because you freeze it for that time period, does not keep pace with the inflation in public schools.

You say that you want to reduce the burden of debt, but you have established a new program that is actually the same program.

I think that is important for the public to know, that, today, the Secretary of Education before this committee refused to affirm that she would put forward a program that would ban discrimination based on LGBTQ status of students or would…

Would you like to repropose a Pell program that does keep pace with inflation, so that it covers the same percent for working families?

On May 25, 2017, Senator Merkley introduced S. 1285, the Oregon Tribal Economic Development Act.

I think it is interesting, as you all have noted, that being elected is sometimes used as a defense that, 'Oh, our human rights cannot be that bad. We were elected to the Human Rights Council.'

So this concept that the U.S. should at least explore it or perhaps make a motion, carry a vote, carry a discussion, would all of you support the United States putting that up?

I would happily see the U.S. lose on occasion if we could actually get at this core issue of countries who really do not have a good faith commitment to the institution filling some of the seats.

The Human Rights Council seems to work better, however, when America leads.

I would encourage you to follow up with the members of the subcommittee on ideas that you have that we should consider.

Instead of having the countries that are really striving to elevate human rights, we have an incentive for those who are not striving to elevate human rights be members.

the countries that oppose the U.S. in New York and Geneva continue to do that without any real penalty.

Promoting human rights is a longstanding bipartisan pillar of American foreign policy, essential not only to our foreign policy, but to who we are as Americans.

I think a lot of work has to be done. I am glad the UPR exists on paper.