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“My colleagues, earlier we had the opportunity to welcome the President of the United States and the Taoiseach to this St. Patrick's Day lunch. My colleagues and Members of the United States Senate who are present, let us now extend a warm welcome to the visiting delegations from Ireland and from Northern Ireland. Thank you all for being with us. We are honored by your presence."

“We have repeatedly called on executives at corporations that have taken our financial system to the brink of collapse with irresponsible business practices to return their bonuses and other financial rewards,” Pelosi said. “Most appallingly, while millions of Americans struggle through this economy, those who have received the largest measure of taxpayer assistance from the Treasury Department have shown no restraint."

"We have just left a very lively meeting with the National Conference of State Legislators. I am very pleased to be joined by the president of the conference, Speaker Joe Hackney of North Carolina. It is wonderful to be able to discuss the economic recovery package and how it has an immediate impact on not only the budgets of our states, but also the lives of the people there."

“The American people do not want their tax dollars spent on bonuses for AIG executives who have mismanaged their company into near bankruptcy. AIG executives should voluntarily forgo their excessive retention payments, but if they refuse, the U.S. Treasury should use whatever tools at its disposal to make AIG repay taxpayers."

“America's small businesses are the heart of our economy. They can create new jobs and fuel our recovery, but only if our nation's entrepreneurs have access to affordable lending. Today's announcement builds on small business tax breaks and investments that will create new jobs that this Congress passed in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act."