John McCain

I am extremely concerned that we are planning to buy 52 of these ships for $37 billion with no confirmation of how the ship will be used or to what extent it will satisfy the requirements of combatant commanders.

Syrian President Bashar al-Asad has lost legitimacy and must step aside to enable a political solution that ends the bloodshed, and meets the aspirations of the Syrian people.

I think the preference would have been to have a residual force, absolutely.

Is it correct that the ISIS senior leaders are believed to be in Syria?

Do you believe that the surge was a success in Iraq?

Al Qaeda is gathering strength in the ungoverned regions of northern and eastern Syria.

As the President said, the remaining operatives in al Qaeda--we now confront a less capable but still lethal threat from geographically diversified groups affiliated with al Qaeda.

Do you agree with that conclusion?

I think our taxpayers ought to at least know how many employees the Department of the Navy has.

Until you find out, then I will not be supporting your nomination. I want an answer whether the Navy can meet its legal obligations.

If confirmed, these nominees will enter DOD in the midst of great difficulty, caused in large part by the failure of Congress to address budget sequestration or authorize and appropriate in a timely and predictable way, but also by…

You're waiting until 2019 before completing a 20-percent cut. That is totally unsatisfactory, Madam Secretary.

That has to be part of any program that you will propose in order to cure this terrible situation which dishonors all of us.

The American people at least deserve an audit of what the U.S. military is doing.

It's still one of the great national scandals that we have ever had, as far as the expenditure of taxpayers' dollars are concerned.

It's hard for me, when a aircraft carrier, the USS Gerald R. Ford, is $2 billion over the estimated cost, and no end in sight.

Do you think it is a wise move at this time for the South Koreans to reopen that facility, manufacturing area, north of the Demilitarized Zone?

Have we gotten cost estimates yet as to how and who would bear those costs?

I would like for the third time to ask you how is it working out.

Well, if it is your position that you do not provide your personal views to the committee when asked, only under certain circumstances, then you have just contradicted what I have known this committee to operate under for the last 30 years.

The decision on whether to use force is the decision of our elected officials.

I think history shows that those of us who supported the surge were right and people like you who did not think we needed a surge were wrong.

The Chairman of the Joint Chiefs is supposed to provide the best advice he can as far as our overall national security is concerned.

Which has greater risk? Our continued, limited action or significant action such as the establishment of a no-fly zone?

I will ask you for the third time. Do you believe that we should take military action?