It seems to me, having been in the shipyard in Alabama, that this ship, it almost looks like an automobile plant...

It's really important because the Marine Corps is such a critical part of our defense structure, and in a crisis, that's who we call.

You just can't keep borrowing and spending.

If we have to find money, we're going to have to find more money for DOD. It's a core function of government.

Now, what is the congressional cost cap? Congress when the price was high put a cost cap on it.

I would just add for the record that Congress asked the Navy and the Navy is seeking and has sought to develop a faster, more cost-effective ship utilizing smaller crews and less fuel with a lot of flexibility and a substantial mission bay…

We just can't keep doing this every year.

Please explain what will happen to the cost of LCS if procurement is reduced.

You cannot borrow your way to prosperity.

We need to talk about it. We are spending right now indeed a significant amount of money on this project.

American workers are, indeed, right to believe that Washington actions are stacking the deck against them.

We should consider all the comments we have had today and keep working on it.

We have no vision, no coherence, no driving ability to move people from poverty to productivity.

Well, I think that is exactly right.

Surely if one has money, some wealth, that money should be applied for the maximum benefit for the maximum number of people.

Millions of Americans have left the workforce entirely, bringing the workforce participation rate to its lowest level since 1978.

the argument over taxes and economic growth is complex, but in 1981, the Reagan plan took the marginal tax rate from 70 percent to 50 percent, and I think that was a positive step for the economy.

I think our job needs to be helping our people in America get higher wages and better jobs.

A sober review of the data reveals that the economic situation for too many Americans remains unacceptable.

We were told that massive debts accumulated over the last five years would lead to prosperity, but we are now left with none of the prosperity and all of the debt.

This budget demonstrates a failure in presidential leadership that undermines our national security.

I do believe it's very important, and hopefully we'll be able to have a good discussion today and we'll be able to study your recommendations.

Are there actions we could take to deter our potential adversaries from taking such action?

I do not think, under the Budget Control Act, they will have to be cut that much, which is good news.

Having a credible missile defense system is so fundamentally important, and it's less than 5 percent of our total defense budget.