"I think that is really the key to making a fit within the budget."
"One of the things that I am committed to, this whole committee is committed to is working together across party lines to get something done."
"I was in Afghanistan at the end of November and was very, very impressed with what the Marine Corps has accomplished."
"And thank you, gentlemen, for being here this morning and for your service to our country."
"The filibuster is a very powerful tool to stop things from happening."
"I want to thank both General Schwartz and Secretary Donley for their outstanding leadership in the Air Force."
"The budget states that the Air Force has 'requested an interagency transfer of the Space Shuttle Atlantis to the National Museum of the United States Air Force.'"
"My good friend Congresswoman Giffords has worked on throughout her years on this committee."
"I know in the Air Force, it is particularly challenging because you have significant programatic upgrades that are being required."
"I think the initial take, finding $178 billion in efficiencies now, as Secretary Gates said yesterday, the great quote, he said the outyears are when everybody's dreams come true."
"We make sure not to jeopardize our national security needs and priorities as we do that."
"I start by agreeing with you on two critical points: Number one, the need to get a Defense Appropriations bill this year and not rely on a CR."
"We definitely need--desperately need to get this appropriations bill done for the military."
"I am very concerned about the implications to our troops of funding the Department of Defense at fiscal year 2010 funding levels in a year-long continuing resolution."
"Development assistance is becoming a greater part of our national security. Stability is the goal here."
"I applaud you on that, because we always hear about how competition is what drives the cost down."
"That, obviously, is a major challenge, the tens of billions of dollars more than was expected that are being spent on that critical piece of our national security."
"We are going to decide at the end of 2 years whether to go forward with the program, in the strong hope that we will have solved those problems at the end of that 2 years."