The prospect of unfettered deficit growth and debt growth is both a problem for our economy and for our national security.

I've been troubled by what seems to be the Chinese ambivalence and reluctance on the Iran sanctions.

I appreciate that answer.

I think it would be fair to say that we're looking for several things.

I want to thank the three of you. This for me has been a very informative, educational hearing, honest, direct.

I don't want to take the time today, but at some point we all ought to come back together and talk about how we should respond if, in fact, what the Chinese are basing their military buildup on is--and I know we're already focused on this…

The deficit reduction Commission was given one of the most important challenges and assignments that we face as a country today.

the crisis in the Postal Service is, for want of a better metaphor, an iceberg that we do not see.

They must be prepared to come in here on July 21 and answer the questions.

I really want to thank you because that work today has helped inform the Committee.

I supported cloture this morning on the bill to extend and phase out increases in the Medicaid funding for States, including Connecticut, and to provide additional money to help local school districts in Connecticut keep teachers in the…

I rise to speak in support of the nomination of our Solicitor General, Elena Kagan, as Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States. The power the Constitution gives the Senate to advise and consent to Presidential…

Oversight is, as we know, very important for ensuring that our taxpayer dollars are spent appropriately.

Social Security disability programs are a critical lifeline for many who are facing huge challenges in their life.

Overpayment and fraud within the Federal Government's disability benefits program is an important topic to me.

The resulting audit underscores the need for reforms and improvements to the oversight of these two Social Security disability programs.

I think that perhaps the most important contribution of the panel will have been to highlight the need for continued, sustained, strong defense funding if we are to maintain the forces we need to protect our security.

You want a configuration of ships and operational concepts that vindicate that mission.

I fear that the defense budget will become a fashionable target for cuts, thereby creating some real peril for our country.

Security is the pre-condition to liberty and prosperity.

I think absent an assessment of the foreign language needs and the foreign language capabilities, it is difficult to say what impact the Foreign Language Award Program has on the Department's overall ability to perform its mission.

I rise today, with my colleague Senator McCain, to introduce legislation to ensure that we take advantage of a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to build a coast-to-coast communications network for our nation's first responders that is…

You are not going to be punished in this room for saying that.

The other proposal that I wanted to talk about, which I think makes sense and yet I also think will have some problems in being implemented, is the idea of realigning the various regional configurations within the components of the…

As usual, you can speak for me, too. I agree.