I have little faith that this Congress will act through regular order and believe it will take a commission with teeth for Congress to act.

The American people are frankly experiencing a crisis of confidence in this institution and in government.

Our unemployment rate is 8.1 percent. Factories are closing. We have got the biggest deficit for as far as the eye can see.

It's time for Congress to deliver on its responsibilities to the American people and have an honest conversation about the state of our finances.

Secretary Clinton went to China with a tin cup begging never wanting to offend the dictators of Beijing.

This institution is broken. The people have no confidence. I don't think this institution is going to fix it.

We have had 994 people graduate.

I believe it would be important to bring more work into the prisons.

It is fair to say Congress has just made it hard.

I mean, that is a legitimate, we think a legitimate question.

I think your unemployment rate is 10 percent.

We are down to 17 percent.

What does your gut tell you?

I know when Mr. Scott and I put the bill in we had tremendous resistance from the states.

I do not think things have improved personally.

I am going to offer an amendment here to set up a pilot program to have prisoners working.

Well, Mr. Chairman, could we try a pilot?

Well, maybe what we could do, Mr. Chairman, if my amendment is successful to be carried and we can convince the Congress, we could take the money that goes into Prison Industries and thus reclaiming industries that are no longer in the…

The question, I think, for state legislators across the country, is what is the balance between funding for incarceration and funding for reinvestment in the community?

I think faith makes a big difference. John Newton wrote Amazing Grace. The faith issue was the issue that changed him.

I was the author of the Prison Rape bill.

I do not think you can put a man in prison for years and not give him work. I just do not think you can.

I think you have a right to be as mad as hell that we cannot provide security for our prison guards.

I think you just solved the answer of prison rehab-- I think that is the answer.

I think this is the most impressive testimony that I have heard since I have served in this institution on the issue of prison reform.