Ben Cardin

President Obama made it very clear in his speech--I believe it was in Australia--that sequestration would have no impact on the commitment we have to strengthen our security commitments in Asia.

I think we should be learning from those experiences in the cases that you cite.

I personally do not believe it is a coincidence, and I hope that this can be reversed.

We have to look at our resources and see if we are using them most effectively.

I want to spend a little bit of time allowing you to respond to how the President's budget fits into the Rebalance to Asia policies.

I am a believer in foreign aid. I think it is an important part of our foreign policy.

There is concern here because we do not control all the terrain on which this aid is going.

Thank you. You mentioned the Office of Science and Technology. You have requested additional funding, for a total of $85 million.

I very much applaud the manner in which you have moved forward in these areas.

I think it is very exciting, and I want to just underscore what Senator Corker said.

Thank you for your leadership. It has been very, very effective in bringing together international development assistance in our security budget.

I just think it is critically important that our foreign aid come with strings... that ensure that the money is being used to further our national interests.

I would suggest there is no bigger spotlight than the President when he visits, but you need to keep the spotlight on Burma.

I think it is very important that we be clear that this money is being spent on the promotion of democracy.

We must make sure that we are not allowing, through a TPP country, the importing of fabric that otherwise should not enter our market tariff-free and which puts our manufacturers at a disadvantage.

You recognized, by combining that with a basic human rights issue, we would not only accomplish two positive aspects but we would broaden the support for moving that legislation forward.

We have a responsibility to make sure they are safe. The system failed in your case.

If you do not mind me just commenting quickly, there is an undermining of trusts between governments and citizens when the government has custody of a child and the relatives are not notified.

That just should not happen.

Your story is not only inspirational, it gives us hope that we can choose the right decisions in life.

I do believe we have to put the resources up for East Asia and the Pacific.

We have to be very clear that for U.S. participation... there is an expectation that the countries will commit themselves to basic internationally recognized human rights.

The international community looks to the United States as the best chance to resolve international conflicts.

I would just encourage you to be very aggressive... to make sure that the opposition groups that we are supporting in Syria isolate themselves from those extremists.

I am very proud to support his confirmation as President Obama's choice to be Secretary of Labor.