Without action, we are going to continue to allow Iran to be a safe harbor for terrorists, see its economy further deteriorate, and see the Middle East further destabilize.

The regional security in the Middle East cannot be further compromised by an Iranian loose cannon.

Does anyone really believe it is possible to make even the most basic ends meet on $5.15 an hour?

I also rise today in strong support of forward movement on the implementation of health information technology, which has the potential to save the United States billions of dollars in health care costs each year.

The Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation Act is an important authorization for our country and for our citizens, as we have seen so vividly in the last few weeks.

Americans rightly asked, if this is the way our government responds to a natural disaster it knew about days in advance, how would it respond to a surprise terrorist attack? How would it respond to an earthquake?

The U.S. Coast Guard is a shining example of how well a Federal agency can perform with its flexibility, speed, and expertise.