I definitely agree with that, since it is headquartered in my District.

I thank the Senator for using the weight of his office to convene us so that we could begin to get to the answers to this question.

Thank you for holding this hearing. It is very timely.

the real issue here and the benefit of this hearing is in our opportunity to impact national policy.

I think that Senator Specter has brought this to our attention in a way that will impact national policy.

It has been an enormous success, and I thank all of my colleagues who worked with me on that legislation when we passed it.

These critical resources are available in abundance to our wealthiest families, in both public and private schools, but available only to a chosen few poor neighborhoods and communities of color.

But more needs to be done. And what I think ought to happen is embodied in the legislation that I have authored, the Student Bill of Rights.

I offered the Communities Committed to College Act, which would create a long-term trust fund invested in so young people can know with a certainty that they can go on to college.

When President Clinton came to Saltsburg and signed GEAR UP into law 11 years ago, he said that we need to transfer middle-class aspirations to working class families in terms of going on to college.

I am excited by the opportunity we now have to improve educational outcomes and ensure a fair playing field for all students.

Thank you for your testimony. We are not going to have time, I think, for a lot of questions today as I think, obviously, based on the enthusiastic interest in testifying before the Committee. So let me thank you for your work.

It could be worse than that. Us and votes, you know.

Thank you very much.

I urge you to seek greater clarity on these policies so that people who are simply following their doctor's orders and abiding by state law can sleep better at night.

Well we're getting better as we go, but thank you for your more than three decades of service.

I appreciate this opportunity to testify today and urge the Subcommittee to fully fund NSF, NASA, and NOAA.

Well, we would be excited to do that. Thank you for your testimony.

We still have not figured out any real connection between this imprisonment and lowering the crime rate.

I think it was right on point and I was pleased to be supportive of it.

We imprison more people than any other country in the world.

I think that is where the biggest bang for the buck could really be in terms of cutting recidivism rates.

Frank Wolf, Congressman Wolf and I and a number of other members over time have been concerned about incidents inside the prison, particularly prison rape and other things.

I agree with the Congressman that research in this area would be important.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Let me first commend the Chairman for the funding of the legislation, for The Second Chance Act.