Patrick Leahy

We want and deserve environmental protections that work, not money to interests buying off those willing to sell the public health to the highest bidder.

Your job is not to weaken or unravel the bedrock environmental laws that were put in place by both Republicans and Democrats alike.

It shows total contempt by you, Administrator, and the administration for bedrock environmental safeguards and for the work of EPA.

I have to agree with what Senator Udall said when I came in about this being a reckless and an unrealistic budget.

I asked you about the threat posed to our national security by the Chinese telecommunications company ZTE. You testified that you are 'deeply concerned' about the threat posed by companies beholden to adversarial foreign powers, such as…

The FBI does not have any information suggesting Russia will cease its attempts to interfere with United States elections or to otherwise attempt to undermine public confidence in United States democratic institutions.

The FBI was among the 17 intelligence organizations concluding that Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered a multi-pronged influence campaign aimed at sowing discord among the American electorate and helping to elect Donald Trump.

I share your concern about ZTE. I was concerned that, 72 hours after the Chinese Government pumped a half billion dollars into a theme park in Indonesia that had Donald Trump's name on it, he said we should put those people back to work.

That gives them the capacity to maliciously modify or steal information. That gives them the capacity to conduct undetected espionage.

I remain deeply concerned that any company beholden to foreign governments that do not share our values are not companies that we want to be gaining positions of power inside our telecommunications network.

The Chair of the House Intelligence Committee suggested you should be impeached, which goes beyond balderdash.

The President has called your bureau 'a disgrace'.

I am concerned with this administration--I would be concerned with any administration, but this one especially with the relentless, politicized attacks on our Nation's law enforcement institutions.

I want to see Amtrak operate safe and secure trains on its routes across the country.

I want to publicly thank you for the call you made to our adjutant general after the avalanche in March injured six soldiers.

But your budget would abandon the Land and Water Conservation Fund and Congress' bipartisan promise to the American people.

It is going to be quite a shock to a lot of landowners, ranchers and all, in Texas and elsewhere when they see what it would mean.

Your budget would starve the Department of its ability to enforce environmental safeguards, protect wildlife, and manage our cherished public lands.

The Senate would be better, and the country would be better.

I thank you, Madam Chair and Senator Udall. I also appreciate what you said about, basically, regular order.

Unfortunately, abuse of the patent system is delaying patient access to new, more affordable, FDA-approved medicines.

We ``new'' Members don't think to look up at the lights. I apologize, but I appreciate being recognized.

I'm awfully proud of the men and women who train there.

I have watched with pride a lot of our National Guard units around the country, but they're not law enforcement units, and they're not trained for that, and should not be.

Recusal is not discretionary; it is required by the clear terms of 28 C.F.R. Sec. 452.