I want to thank Senator Cardin for calling today's follow up hearing to receive testimony specifically from municipalities and rural communities.

we are spending 40 percent more than we take in.

America is on an unsustainable debt path.

We should respect that and just not immediately reject the budget that has been proposed.

the $800 billion stimulus that the President pushed through in 2009... spent only a tiny fraction on water infrastructure.

I offered for the record a statement from the Birmingham Water Works Board, which I think is doing very well.

I think it is up to Congress to make sure that out of all the money we spend on national defense, we make sure that we have sufficient funds to maintain a credible nuclear stockpile.

I think that is CENTCOM. But Egypt, Libya, Tunisia--on a scale from hopeful to concerned about their future, where would you put the needle there?

I would just add a political risk that when you push things out--and you are assuming Congress will act rationally and predictably in the future, but I would just say the more things are pushed out and they are not done when you planned to…

I am troubled today about this little overheard conversation between the President and Mr. Medvedev where President Obama says... this can be solved, but it is important for him to give me space.

I just feel like our allies and friends have to understand that that is an awfully small price to pay for freedom.

People who are direct threats to the United States I believe should be held in U.S. custody.

I believe you have to do that.

I would urge the majority, Madam Chairman, to understand that I believe this does--is divorced from policy differences.

I think, Chairman, I don't necessarily agree with the summary analysis of that report as the Chairman expressed it.

You had a concern about it?

One of the allegations is that the Chairman used his, introduced political considerations as part of his discussions with Democratic appointees.

I strongly believe that the assumption of emergency powers after Fukushima was clearly in violation of law.

I would like to pursue the report issue, and the issue of the Chairman's--the allegation that the Chairman feels it is appropriate to be a gatekeeper with regard to information that gets to the other members of the board.

I think the problem with the dispute is that you don't acknowledge you have a full duty to immediately respond.

I don't agree. I believe you are misinterpreting the plain statute.

Thank you, and Senator Carper, thank you for your wise advice to all of us.

As a military person, when somebody assumes command of a situation, altering the normal chain of command, that should be crystal clear, should it not?

I just don't believe that our problem here is policy difference.

I don't believe this is an issue, a disagreement over personality.