John McCain

The big inhibitor to a good count in 2010 is the fear in the Hispanic-Latino communities.

It not only means a lot to us as far as Congressional districts are concerned, but so much of our Nation's operations as far as apportionment of money for various programs, apportionment of responsibilities.

I think it is pretty obvious that we need to have a Director of the Census.

A fair and accurate counting is critical. No State should be unfairly denied representation or funding for essential services because the Census Bureau can't resolve problems that have plagued us for decades.

My home State of Arizona suffered severely from undercounting in the 1990 Census.

I think sometimes we have neglected that aspect of the equation.

Obviously, we need to have some personnel policy changes, as well.

Which means a revolving door evolves?

We removed incentives for people to remain in the acquisition workforce, in the form of lack of promotion or career enhancement?

I think there's general agreement on the part of the witnesses that there's been a dramatic erosion in acquisition workforce and test and evaluation personnel.

Let me be clear. The endless cycle of runaway costs, prolonged delivery schedules and poor performance we have seen in major weapons has us, in my view, mired in a form of unilateral disarmament.

A train wreck is coming, and unless hard decisions are made and serious reform measures undertaken, our ability to see to our national security interests will be over time fundamentally compromised.

Clearly, the endless cycle of runaway costs, prolonged delivery schedules, and poor performance in the acquisition of major weapons has, in my view, us mired in a form of unilateral disarmament.

Unless difficult decisions are made and serious reform measures are undertaken, our ability to provide for our national security will be, over time, fundamentally compromised.

That is why Senator McCain and I have introduced the Weapon Systems Acquisition Reform Act of 2009.

A train wreck is coming.

I believe the president's withdrawal is a reasonable one.

I believe the President's withdrawal is a reasonable one.

Dictated by the realities on the battlefield?

Should the Karzai Government talk to the Taliban?

Certainly an increase in corruption.

What caused what was really a promising situation to deteriorate to a now almost universal opinion that we are not winning, therefore we are losing?

It alienates both Afghan and Pakistani populations?

They alone didn't work in Iraq.

17,000 additional forces are at best two-thirds of what his requirement would be.