"The VA isn't within the purview of this committee, but clearly, it is a continuum of concern that we have about our military people, whether they are in Service or veterans."
"Lebanon deserves our attention and continued investment and partnership."
"The population of Lebanon is a little bit over 4 million and there is nearly a million--by many accounts, more than a million--Syrian refugees in Lebanon."
"The challenge of forming a government among competing factions with Cabinet ministries in a sufficient ratio to receive parliamentary approval is very, very difficult."
"Imagine 80 million war refugees coming to the United States over the period of about 2 years."
"Lebanon is at a crossroads."
"if interest rates go to anything close to historic levels--call it 5 percent; in 2000 it was 6 percent--we are talking about $850 billion a year just to pay interest."
"If two-thirds of the American economy is driven by consumer spending and the income is going to the top 1 percent..."
"I concluded that it was an immaculate conception, because it does not seem to have any parentage."
"So a long-term strategy, not a short-term emergency strategy, is what we really need to be looking at."
"On the other hand, we cannot ignore this. I mean, the debt, just the interest on the debt, if we have a 1-percent increase in the interest we are paying on our current Federal debt--1 percent--which I..."