I do not think any program in the Department is too big to fail just as a matter of principle.

If you are going to have a smaller buy and try to construct a portfolio of airplanes that winds up purportedly being cheaper, you have to factor in a higher unit cost as part of the calculation.

There was money sitting there to produce, and there was the yearning urge to acquire that taxpayers' dollar maybe too quickly.

How could we have done this better, how could we be further ahead, less cost?

I would recommend sizing the future purchases of this F-35 plane primarily to the threat environment...

I think more competition always results in not only a better price, but better responsiveness.

We owe it to the men and women who are fighting to defend this country to give them the very best.

Thank you so much for your service.

Sequestration, the way it has been characterized, the way it has been implemented, is a pervasive problem.

Thank you very much, Mr. Chairman.

The standard that they released yesterday, which they are now going to use, is actually stricter than the standard that I have been proposing.

I think it is positive when it comes to our view as Americans facing challenges, meeting them head on, and conquering them.

Based on your testimony, it sounds like the enemy is optimism, and I do not know that we want to be pessimistic when we get into this.

Can we afford not to do it?

What has changed in this world in terms of communications in 12 years.

When I took over as chairman of this subcommittee, I knew I had a lot to learn.

But technology moves on either with us or with our would-be adversaries.

I want to pay tribute to you, General Alexander, and others in the intelligence community and the FBI for the work that you have done to protect our country.