We believe that it's critical to do this from the beginning because it is the best way to reduce energy prices across the entire country.

We encourage the inclusion in the CES of energy efficiency from the onset.

Energy efficiency is our Nation's greatest energy supply resource.

I think this is reflected in some of my colleagues, you know, questions this morning.

If a State hit the target they would have freedom, in effect, at the State level to go out and pursue approaches that would make sense for them.

On that point, I think Dr. Coburn raises an important point, because he is touching on this question of regional variation.

What can we do to start moving away from this kind of built-in disadvantage for people to hold costs down and deliver value?

I strongly support this legislation, S. 2343, the Stop the Student Loan Interest Rate Hike Act. I appreciate the leadership particularly of Senator Reed of Rhode Island, who has been so eloquent on this subject. I also would note that…

The fact is that in some high-cost States, when the senior shows up, they get a higher payment, and this is baked into the SGR as of now.

on May 20 the world will see an encouraging sight. On that day, President Ma Ying-jeou of the Republic of China will be sworn in for a second term on the island of Taiwan. I was so pleased to see yet another free, fair, democratic election…

I would like to see a sense of urgency, particularly because this is so directly related to job creation, as we saw the last time it was done.

I think it would be a big shot in the arm again to pass tax reform.

Where is the sense of urgency to pursue it?

We all know you cannot have big league economic growth with little league transportation systems.

I would only say, respectfully, that to characterize this as being in the early stages--when you look at all that has been done, we have had one report after another, whether it is the Bowles-Simpson report, whether it is Dominici-Rivlin.

We have gone back to the drawing board, and Senator Hoeven and I, in particular, have come up with a new concept.

Now, I would like to see us, particularly by closing some of the loopholes in the system, get lower than that.

We might generate $6 billion/$8 billion worth of projects, and the chairman and colleagues on both sides said, well, it is worth a try.

It seems to me all of you are, in effect, articulating the position that a simpler tax code that makes it easier to comply and harder to cheat is going to be better for the vast majority of Americans and businesses.

would it not make for a simpler system to, in effect, root those out and ensure fairness for everybody.

when I take out the $1 trillion worth of tax expenditures, they seem to go to a small number of these special interests.

and colleagues, this amendment is for the more than 25 million Americans--more than 800,000 of them serving in the military--who vote by mail in our system of government, the most open and free system of government in the world. Those…

I just look forward to working with you. And Senator Grassley and I have put a lot of years into this.

Senator Grassley and I have proposed an effort to open up the Medicare database.

the fact that you are constantly looking for ways to beef up the fight against fraud and these kinds of rip-offs is really appreciated.