Is it logical to assume that Congress' failure to act on these initiatives has had a negative impact on the job creation and the economic growth?

We need to be clear with the American people about what will happen if we do not get health care costs under control.

This is a problem of inordinate proportions, and it is in large degree a spending issue.

I am concerned that the Federal Government has not been a good partner in the economic recovery.

I think it has produced little. In fact, I think it is one of the great tragedies in the history of the country that we have gotten so little out of such an incredibly large expenditure.

We need to face up to this. You know, it is like that old TV ad, Fram oil filter ad, 'You can pay me now or pay me later.'

One of the reasons that we do that is, we have a good working relationship between the majority and the minority.

A taxpayer bailout of the PBGC is not an option.

A lot of people probably don't realize that this committee passes more legislation than virtually any other committee.

The bill would authorize the Secretary of the Interior to conduct a special resource study.

The Heart Mountain Relocation Center Study Act will help to define this historic site.

I can't think of any name that stands out there more profoundly than Steny Hoyer.

I am hopeful that should you be confirmed, we will find ways to achieve common goals to promote equal opportunity.

Congressman Hoyer has been the leader on that issue through all these years.

This bill takes the small business definition down from 50 employees that are presently covered by FMLA, which is not paid leave, down to 15.

This summer, the Administration promised Americans that 80 to 120 million doses of the vaccine would be distributed by mid-October, yet here we are a month past that deadline, and only 36 million doses are available.

Mr. Chairman, today Americans across the country are trying to protect themselves and their families from the threat of the flu pandemic that's threatening the lives of children and pregnant women around the world.

I think anybody that's infected with it considers it a very vital factor.

Can you describe the multiple levels of mandates that you'd be required to comply with, should this bill go into effect?

Of course, I'm hearing from the people that are standing in line for clinics, and then getting up to the front of the line and finding out that there isn't enough vaccine there to take care of them and their children, some waiting in line…

The media's full of stories of vaccines going to populations that don't fit the high-risk profile, such as terrorism suspects being held at Guantanamo Bay, instead of those populations at risk, such as small children and pregnant women.

I'm really worried about--I'm curious as to why this legislation is changing the number from 50 people down to 15 people.

I can remember when Senator Byrd and Senator Dodd and Senator Kennedy and I were in a room trying to work out some of the problems of this.

Shouldn't the DOD's Guantanamo vaccine order be canceled and re-directed to the CDC, so that you can be sure that every child and pregnant woman that would have the vaccine that wants it can have it?

Yet, most Americans who want to protect themselves by vaccination have been left in the lurch and told that a supply of vaccines may not even be available before the pandemic is over.