again, i apologize if most of you were not aware of that prule. -- rule. this organization did write and ask for a block of time in advance of the hearing and the president granted that. the president has the right to modify the amount of time a person requests. they can request up to 15 minutes and be given 10 minutes, as an example. in most cases -- actually, in all case that i'm aware of, the president has granted the block of time making sure no other member of that organization is allowed to speak during that hearing. i'm only aware of one request for a block of time from that hearing. they were given their 10-minute request for a block of time. there can be no request for a block of time at the hearing. i apologize for that. i am not hear to divide or ask a lot of questions, i just wanted to state the rules as they exist. >> i want to entertain questions from two people. if you can come up to the mic, and that will be end of that. ms. marshall, if you can just come up. >> in terms of the literature put out, i think there should be a response. just on

i'm pruled to represent the people of ohio as the new united states senator. from i've heard over the past couple of years and what i continue to hear across our state is a deep concern over jobs and the future of our economy. there's an understanding frustration with washington's failure to address even the most basic problems. people are looking for little and instead they see the same tired political responses. we were told two years ago this month the way to grow the economy was through bigger government, more spending and government. the stimulus package ended up costing over a approximately dollars. it was a grand experiment that failed. it not only failed to produce more jobs, the cost added up to a record deficit again this year and a national debt that is dangerously close to the size of the entire u.s. economy. this growing ret ink is hurting the economy today and mortgaging the future for our kids and grandkids. who -- so we've had to relearn the lesson we all know in our hearts. you can't spend your way to prosperityy. the federal government is spe