ms. collins: madam president? the presiding officer: the senator from maine. ms. collins: madam president, i ask unanimous consent that proceedings under the call be dispensed with. the presiding officer: without objection. ms. collins: thank you, madam president. madam president, i ask unanimous consent that i be permitted to proceed as if in morning business for 15 minutes. the presiding officer: without objection. ms. collins: thank you, madam president. madam president, moments from now president obama will unveil his administration's long-awaited proposal to restructure and reform our nation's financial regulatory system. i'd like to take a few minutes to share my initial reactions to some of the most important features in the president's plan. at the outset, madam president, let me say that the president and his financial team deserve considerable credit for tackling this critical issue. it's important that all of us recognize how critical federal financial regulatory reform is and that we not put this issue off until some distant future. when the pr*e presen

collins? mr. sassi? ms. pollitz? so then let me have you raise your right hand and take the oath. do you swear or affirm the testimony you are about to give is the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth in the matter pending before this committee? let the record reflect that the witnesses replied in the affirmative. they are now under the beginning with their opening statement. you have five minutes for an opening statement in you may submit a longer statement for inclusion in the record. mr. hamm if you don't mind will start with you, start from my left and go to the right. >> chairman stupack, congressman waldman, mears of the subcommittee i'm don hamm president and ceo of assurant health. welcome this opportunity to birds is a bait in the hearing today. is the dialogue like this that we can continue to address one of the most challenging issues of our time, providing health insurance coverage for all americans. we appreciate that this subcommittee in congress are committed to finding the right place to address healthcare reform. if the system can be created where cove

i going to turn to senator collins and return in later rounds. >> thank you, mr. chairman. ms. shapiro, you talked about the increased number of positions that you have requested. as part of the fiscal year '11 budget, 2011. but, in fact, the president's budget for this coming fiscal year does not allow you to hire any new positions, is that correct? >> that's correct, senator. the increase in the 2010 budget covers the annualized increases in 20909:00 budget that we were able to have as a result of the aprooul of our reprogramming requests and taking $17 million of unobligated funds from prior years, dedicating those to staffing, additional staffing in 200 the. the annualized costs of those 50 positions that we're bringing on this year are the increase in the 2010 budget. >> do you need new positions for the upcoming fiscal year? >> i would say that first of all we're extremely grateful for the president for the increase in the 2010 budget and it's a meaningful increase for this agency. naen 2011, we saw a much greeter increase. the opportunity to move towards that 2011 budget

ms. sanchez: thank you, mr. speaker. i recently learned of a situation concerning a constituent of mine, randy collins, whose ex-wife abducted their son and went to japan. the last time randy collins saw his son, christian collins, was on june 15, 2008. according to the united states state department's deputy assistant secretary for overseas citizen services, the united states received notices of 73 cases ofarental abductions involving 104 children just for the country of japan. unfortunately, many people are not aware of the severity of this situation and how it affects so many american lives. once taken to japan, american parents are unable to see their children because parental visitation rights are not recognized, they're not protected by japan, and abduction by one parent is not considered a crime. as an ally of the united states, i urge the government of japan to sign the 1980 hague convention on civil aspects of international children abduction and respect the rights of our american parents. the speaker pro tempore: for what purpose does the gentleman from louisiana rise? mr. fleming: i ask unanimous consent to speak