I think we need to know more, for example, with regards to the current economic crisis that's not only impacting this country but impacting the world.

I certainly want to commend you. And you're obviously assuming the helm of this agency at a very critical time in its history.

The question is, does this pass the straight-face test? Can I vote for things with this kind of spending that really doesn't stimulate the economy?

the decision to further reduce postal services would cause an even bigger drop in mail volume that could lead to a death spiral for the USPS.

It is absolutely unacceptable for you to come to Congress and say that you need relief from financial obligations, and then we hear from the GAO and from the Commission, from our own experience, that you are going backwards when it comes…

I am also very concerned about the lack of financial transparency, which was a key goal of the 2006 legislation that we authored.

I do not know how you can ask for relief from your financial obligations and at the same time propose cutbacks in service.

We worked to strengthen the funding for health insurance for postal workers and retirees.

I am very disappointed to hear you come before us today and advocate as a potential solution to this economic crisis the elimination of the requirement for 6-day-a-week delivery.

Our purpose was straightforward. We wanted to help ensure the continuation of affordable universal service.

It took, as you know, Senator Collins and me some 5 years or so to get postal reform legislation enacted.

What we basically need is a general understanding that the Postal Service is challenged and is going to have to make these changes.

Congress has been known in the past to put up road blocks that prevent you from operating in the most efficient manner possible.

a stable shipbuilding industrial base and predictable levels of funding are critical to achieving shipbuilding cost projections.

President Bush indicated that as troop levels in Iraq decreased, many of those forces would be redeployed to Afghanistan.

Afghanistan stands at a crossroads, and that the progress achieved over the previous 6 years was threatened by resurgent Taliban violence.

I believe that the administration must consider the defense industrial base, such as the 95,000 (direct and indirect) jobs associated with the F-22 program.

The situation in Pakistan is extremely worrisome, not only because Taliban fighters are using Pakistani bases to attack our soldiers in Afghanistan.