Our schools do need Federal assistance, including teacher quality programs.

We have to be good stewards of taxpayer dollars and maximize resources.

We need to do a better job providing assistance to teachers in science, technology, math.

You did not assess the effectiveness of the programs identified, I think that is an important issue here.

You will find that this is an issue where we can have some bipartisanship.

If Congress wants to avoid defaulting on federal health and retirement programs, it must advance solutions.

the system is going to become insolvent sometime within the next half century.

these programs are growing at such an unsustainable rate that they will crash the economy, bring insolvency, and give us a debt crisis.

I want honest discourse. That is exactly what we need.

I think I deserve a vote. Everybody here deserves a vote.

Medicare, Medicaid, and Social Security are very important programs that provide health and retirement security to millions of Americans.

I urge you to be bold in developing your FY 2012 Budget Resolution and I am happy to assist in any way I can.

This idea is a bold idea. The Chairman's idea.

The Affordable Care Act will begin to bring down the per capita costs of health care throughout the system--including in Medicare.

I hope we can come together to ensure the long-term viability and integrity of these programs as we put our nation on a fiscally stable path.

We will vigorously oppose any effort to undermine the integrity of these programs.

the surest way to destroy them.

the time for that conversation is now--and I firmly believe the American people are ready for it.