"We want it not to be business as usual. We want to not hear just about a bureaucracy, but about a people organization."
"Fear."
"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."
"We have a moral and a legal obligation--I wish we did not, but we do--to clean up those sites."
"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."
"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."
"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..."
"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."
"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."
"We have to be smart and pragmatic and thoughtful in trying to remove those barriers."
"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."
"Thank you, Mr. Chairman, for calling this hearing to quickly move forward on the confirmation of Representative Solis as the next Secretary of Labor."