"I have told Secretary Mnuchin that I am for a clean debt limit extension, and I will vote for it."
"I think it ought not to be used, as I think this Administration is contemplating using it, as a leverage."
"I think that is not honest budgeting, not only for this generation, but for generations to come."
"What was particularly galling to me was the first proposal came out of the administration when the administration was new, cutting the State Department 31 percent, at the same time putting increases i..."
"And so I keep hearing that the morale is terrible, that the expert people that have been around for so many years are leaving in droves."
"So one of the things we can do together as Republicans and Democrats in Congress is to turn back attempts by the administration to hollow out American diplomacy and development."
"My commitment as chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee is I will work with colleagues on both sides of the aisle to bolster the State Department and USAID."
"That is a slap in the face to the constitutional authority of this committee and this Congress and we should not stand for it."
"It is great to be here, and it is great to hear Eliot say we are going to pass a State Department authorization bill."
"I also co-chair the Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission in Colombia, and currently Colombia is the deadliest place in the world for rights defenders."
"We need to make sure he walks the walk."
"The committee must ensure that there are consequences for such a stunning lack of urgency on the part of the Colombian state to protect and defend human rights and social leaders."