Patty Murray

This Senate has turned down those requests every time, so if you want an honest budget, it might be better to come to us without those in them.

Telling the truth about the needs is part of what builds confidence in veterans.

We want it not to be business as usual. We want to not hear just about a bureaucracy, but about a people organization.

I have always said that we need a VA Secretary who will be honest about what our veterans need and have the backbone to stand up and ask for it.

It is tremendously important that we have somebody at the head of this agency who is really going to tackle a lot of issues to get this country back on track.

Making sure that we empower our local communities to provide a pathway for all of our students to the careers of tomorrow is extremely important.

The mantra of the last 8 years has been No Child Left Behind. I would like to see that changed so that every child has the skill we need.

In this time of economic turmoil, I can think of no better way to improve our economy and maintain that competitive edge for the coming decades than investment in skills for our students today to make sure they can secure good jobs…

We have to be smart and pragmatic and thoughtful in trying to remove those barriers.

If we can use this time to get significant funding in there to reduce the size of those sites, it will be cost effective in the future.

We have a moral and a legal obligation--I wish we did not, but we do--to clean up those sites.

I wish it was in someone else's, but it is not. And I am responsible, as we all are, for making sure we fund that.

For years I've said that if we don't invest in the growth and development of America's workers, our families, our communities, and our Nation will suffer in the long run.

But I'm encouraged that the Department of Labor will soon have a leader who will restore public confidence, in its ability to serve workers well.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman, for calling this hearing to quickly move forward on the confirmation of Representative Solis as the next Secretary of Labor.

Ensuring a smooth and timely transition for this critical Cabinet position sends an important message to America's workers that they are absolutely essential to our economic recovery efforts.

As we discuss the best way to stimulate our economy, I believe three points are clear.

They need someone who believes--as I do--that investing in them is investing in our future.

I am delighted that you are going to be leading us as we head into a very important healthcare discussion and, hopefully, move legislation this year.

I have been holding a number of hearings in my State to talk about the lack of healthcare providers that are out there, and there is a direct correlation with cost.

I am extremely concerned about some of our countries in Central and Eastern Europe who are seeing increasing financial instability.

I think that is so important. We have to understand that this is having a huge impact.

We are working with the administration to get a funding level of $6.5 billion for fiscal year 2010

The Economic Recovery Plan, whose focus is on the EM sites, needs nationwide to reduce their footprint

I want to make sure that we agree that the Federal Government has a moral and legal obligation to clean up those sites across the country.