Ben Cardin

I think you are absolutely correct in that the only way you are going to deal with this is through some type of proposal that we are suggesting.

I think this is the only solution that is a solution to fix our current system.

This makes absolutely no sense, because we have created an incentive for U.S. companies to invest abroad rather than domestically.

I think your point about corporate integration and how it impacts the incentives for retirement savings is a point that needs to be taken into consideration.

The United States, working with our coalition partners, need to be able to provide that type of a framework.

There have got to be consequences to those who block humanitarian aid.

The magnitude of the crisis here demands U.S. leadership and attention.

There is no question there are shared interests. The question is how do you overcome the individual issues that have blown up the process in the past.

My conversation with a lot of the players is that that will not bring peace to Syria.

The only way to resolve it is for the Syrians to have confidence that a process moving forward can bring their country together.

The most important is that we stop the bloodshed, that we prioritize a cessation of hostilities or, better yet, a full-on ceasefire.

It is imperative to continue the lifesaving humanitarian assistance that has saved countless lives since the beginning of this crisis.

Assad's contempt for his own people, enabled by Iran and Russia, is destroying his country and has created a regional crisis.

An internationally brokered transition government seems further away today than ever with Assad's deputy foreign minister recently saying this will not happen, not now, not tomorrow, not ever.

Suffering of the Syrian people has continued because Bashar al Assad and his inner circle cling to power.

I encourage my colleagues to read the language of this amendment. It carries out current law. That is simply what it does. Current law requires this consideration by Fish and Wildlife on these projects. This amendment makes it clear that…

We are not going to be able to do anything unilaterally on that problem.

The United States must reassure our Gulf state partners and Israel of our commitment to their security.

Without having a game plan, what comes next, that is not what America should be investing.

It was good to get rid of Saddam Hussein, but we should have perhaps done a better job of thinking about what we were going to put in place after he left.

We ended up with the Muslim Brotherhood, and that became a real problem. And now we have got a military dictatorship back in Egypt.

We should not be so quick to come in and get rid of leaders that we do not agree with 1,000 percent of the time.

I want to drill down on the point that you made, Mr. Donilon, but also Secretary Baker, and that is the observation of the lack of good governance in the Middle East providing the wherewithal for this movement towards failed states.

They will never succeed in accomplishing a more peaceful, stable world, because they do not have the commitment towards democracy and good governance.

A country's security is more than protecting its borders; it is its economic opportunities and its respect for basic human rights.