Tom Carper

We need entitlement reform that saves these programs, saves them for the next generation, saves money, and also does not savage old people or poor people.

I appreciate the 80 percent. I appreciate the 40 years. I think it is a step in the right direction.

Congress should focus on the elephant in the room: The prefunding of retiree health care liability.

How do we get a better result for less money in literally everything that we do?

One of the things I think we are pretty much in lockstep on is the need to reduce our Nation's budget deficit.

I am anxious to hear Senator Tester, his comments and his questions.

I do not see that as being unreasonable that Postal employees should--the 23 percent who are not currently taking advantage of Medicare, that they should not be encouraged to take advantage of Medicare, Part B.

I think the Postal Service is clearly a viable, ongoing entity.

What we have done in our legislation--the $40 billion that has been prepaid to meet this retiree health benefit?

I am a glass-half-full guy, and I am a glass-half-full with respect to better containing the growth of health care costs in this country going forward.

We need tax reform to generate some revenues to go toward deficit reduction.

What I think the Board of Governors wants to do is to pay down its obligation to the Treasury, some of it at least.

The situation at the Postal Service is dire. It is not hopeless.

I am absolutely committed to the workforce of the Post Office to make sure that every commitment that has been made to their employees on retiree health benefits is kept.

Tom Coburn and I have really tried to do that.

There are 50 laboratories of democracy, let them go forward and experiment.

The fact that not anybody really likes the end product is probably the sweet spot of where we need to end up being.

I think one of the things that is missing right now to move our economy from a modest economic recovery to a robust economic recovery is concerns across this country, can we govern, can we be fiscally responsible as a country, can we…

One of my top goals since joining this Committee has been to not just help the Postal Service get by, but to help it become strong again and remain viable for the long term.

Every week at this time there is a Bible study group that meets over by the Capitol and one of the things that Barry Black always tells us... he always implores the Senators... to pray for wisdom.

I have said we need entitlement reform that saves money, saves programs, does not savage old people or poor people.

We need tax reform to actually generate some revenues.

To summarize, Sections 301 and 206 should be stricken from the bill to restore the bill's focus on creating a streamlined, cost efficient, capable Postal Service to meet today's needs.

What Dr. Coburn and I have said is this: It is almost like a 40-year mortgage.

But it cannot be, 'No.' It has to be, 'No, but here is a different solution.'