Ben Cardin actually said...

"I would just urge you, as I did in my office, to take a look at a progressive consumption tax."

"I would just urge you, on the first part, to recognize that we have to be disciplined as we deal with the Federal budget."

"I think we all would acknowledge that our income tax rates, personal and corporate, put the United States at a disadvantage in global competition and it is something we need to deal with."

"I would hope that you would agree that we do not want tax reform to increase the size of the Federal deficit."