Susan Collins

Until the Saudis commit to changing their schools, their curriculum, their culture, they are still going to be a breeding ground for terrorists like Osama bin Laden.

I concur that the American people will drive this issue. That is the reason it is important that the gentleman from California (Mr. Thomas) holds hearings in the Committee on Ways and Means. Let us vet it and let the people understand it…

One last question, and I receive this question quite often too, and it deals with trade. We hear a lot about outsourcing and insourcing and, fortunately, we have more insourcing jobs today than we have outsourcing, and I think it has a lot…

I believe prior to the income tax, our revenues did come from tariffs and excise taxes which dealt with trade. I fully agree with my colleague. I think it would be an excellent opportunity for our workforce in America to become more…

What about the one section of the Tax Code that seems to be the most abused section that you hear about and is reported to us in the Committee on Ways and Means, which is the earned income tax credit; How would this affect that?

So you actually would have more take-home pay, pay a less percentage in tax under the fair tax than you would under the current income tax system, even without a mortgage deduction?

In relation to that, we hear a lot about the whole exemption for interest on deductibles. I think the gentleman's numbers are very interesting and I think they would work the same way in the home deduction, would they not?

I have one final inquiry I would like to make of my colleague. It is my understanding that the intent behind the language of this bill, H.R. 1997, is that this bill, like those State laws, not be construed to undermine the legal basis for…

I continue to receive e-mails from soldiers in Iraq who tell me that they still lack the equipment they need.

I feel we have a moral obligation to make sure that they have all of the supplies and equipment, and most of all, protection that they need.

It is our duty. This is not a case where we're not eager to give you the money you need.

We do need to exercise our constitutional responsibilities.

We really do need to preserve the important role that Congress plays.

I hope you will consider working with the committee to come up with a more traditional request.

All of us want to make sure that we do that quickly and fully.

One of the most important things for any soldier to know is when are they coming home.

Thank you very much. That's good news.

I very much appreciate the commitment that you've shown in your budget to fully fund the construction of three guided missile destroyers (DDGs) this year.

If this occurs, it would be the first year in more than 20 years that our Navy will not be procuring a major surface combatant.

I remain, however, very concerned about the Department's future shipbuilding plan, particularly as it affects the transition from the DDG to the experimental destroyer (DD(X)).

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Secretary Brownlee, like many of my colleagues, I have heard repeated concerns expressed by the families of our guard members and reservists who are serving in Iraq about the shortages of body armor and fortified…

Why were we so ill-prepared? Why didn't we have more body armor and more fortified HMMWVs available to protect our troops?

General Hagee, in preparation for OIF 2, you mentioned that the Marines are drawing on lessons learned from your sister Services, coalition partners, inter-departmental agencies, and the Marine Corps' own 'Small Wars' experience.

I very much appreciate the commitment you have shown in your budget to fully fund the construction of three DDG-51 Arleigh Burke-class destroyers.

I think, as Senator McCain and others have suggested, that we are going to see an exodus from the Guard and Reserves that is going to be very harmful because of these repeated deployments.