Patrick Leahy

Given the importance of the capability to deter, detect, and destroy airborne threats to the United States, it is important that the Air Force address current and future requirements of the ASA mission to ensure its long-term…

I think we are going to probably, in the coming year, have a lot of conversations on this.

With aging equipment.

So should we do something different in the appropriation process itself to make it easier?

We approve here in Congress budget requests based on justification documents that say a certain amount of gear will go to the Guard and Reserves.

I think the Army Guard is going to be better equipped, better trained, and in a better position because of your service.

I do not think we can continue with a 50-year-old system.

Unquestionably for IBM, patent reform will increase the value of our company in a number of ways.

The Patent Reform Act is about jobs, about innovation; it is also about consumers.

We cannot be in the 21st century with a 50-year-old system, and we will bring it up-to-date.

This year, we are working to make additional progress by modernizing the United States patent system.

We worked together with 21 Senate cosponsors, Republicans and Democrats, our House counterparts.

Last year, I led the bipartisan effort to pass the Prioritizing Resources and Organization for Intellectual Property Act to enforce laws against stealing America's intellectual property.

I am glad we are having this hearing because, as we all know, intellectual property is critical to our Nation's economy.

If criminal conduct occurred, this Senator wants to know about it.

He just wanted somebody to get him off the list, and they could not.

I think the Justice Department--I know they are working on just the issue you raise.

I think there should be U.S. Attorneys asking those questions and possibly filing indictments.

I am just not willing to join in the acknowledgment of failure of Congress performing its vigorous oversight responsibilities, which I think creation of such a commission would amount to.

The proposed commission, I submit to you, cannot.

It is far better for American foreign policy if we acknowledge willingly what went right and what went wrong.

While a commission of inquiry is the best way to get the facts out, Congress, the Justice Department, and the public should decide what to do with those facts.

The longest serving member of this Committee, Senator Edward Kennedy, half a dozen or a dozen times was told he could not board a flight.

We do not have any provisions in our Constitution that puts some people, elected or otherwise, above the law.

I disagree with those conclusions, but I certainly do not believe a truth commission is necessary to somehow arbitrate the differences between me and the Levin report.