A Risky Choice for a Risk Czar

I need some more convincing of the creation of this Consumer Protection Agency.

We should not need the GAO to identify problems with continual and unforeseen increases in cost.

Our acquisition challenges are real. With these systemic challenges, it is not surprising that we have not resolved problems exemplified by the V-22 Osprey.

I cannot hear you.

With the dramatic rise in volume and value of contracts, we must enhance our management and oversight capacity so we are maximizing return for the taxpayer.

I hope that we can use the lessons from the V-22 to identify steps that we can take to avoid repeating these mistakes in the future.

Yes, but in this particular case we have a report from the GAO that says that in this, with respect to the V-22, this is a chronic problem.

Dr. Rivolo, you use some pretty strong language. You used the word 'reprehensible.' You used the word 'disingenuous' to describe the Marine Corps management of this project and this particular aircraft.

How are we going to pay for building a high-speed rail system in this country? I think, two ways.

I suggest that we create a national infrastructure bank, staffed by professionals... and rank projects on a cost-benefit analysis.

We can't make this effort building 100-mile-an-hour train systems, or else we're truly consigning ourselves to be a second-class Nation.

To begin with, in terms of health care costs you outlined the President's goals.

We cannot put a price on a child's life; however, we can recognize that it is far more cost effective to proactively treat the symptoms of appendicitis rather than treat the results of a burst appendix.

But Dr. Romer, you don't have any study that says, hey, that is the one variable that somehow would get our handles around the cost of rising health care?

I think the other way that the two go together is just in a practical sense, that at a time when you are thinking about doing an expansion of care to the millions of Americans that are not covered now, that is a very natural time to do the…

I urge you to come up with a number that reminds the American people of what that would be if we in fact do not have health care reform.

It is the fact that a child with appendicitis is five times more likely to die without health insurance, than if he or she was covered.