Carl Levin

That is not a practical problem. That is a matter of issuing a directive saying it is now 8 hours or it is now 12 hours.

I have not heard a practical problem yet. I am struggling to hear a practical problem for not just saying, directive, it is 8 hours, it is 12 hours, whatever.

Well, that is not a practical problem. What is the next problem which is not practical, allegedly?

I do not think anyone is suggesting that business be brought to a standstill.

I am saying, if it is required that it be 8 hours or 12 hours, then they will have the manifest data.

How will the Department of Defense (DOD) ensure that its developmental test and evaluation enterprise has the necessary resources?

Do we have a timeframe to expect what your analysis will be--in other words, what your methodology is to reduce unnecessary expenditures?

They do this at great risk, frequently, to their own well-being and to their families' well-being.

To close that loophole, Senator Lautenberg has introduced legislation, which I have cosponsored.

There is a loophole in Federal law that prevents the Federal Government from stopping the sale of firearms or explosives to a person who is on the terrorist watchlist.

I think it is important. Well, I know that they have expressed support, and frankly, I am surprised you do not know that they have expressed support.

The 50 states now form nearly two million corporations and limited liability companies each year without knowing who actually owns them.

I think symbolically the delay because of the attack may have been appropriate, for 1 year. But the 3-year delay to me is excessive and sends the wrong signal to the South Koreans.

I think it has been a very useful hearing.

We have to put the resources where they should be going.

Fraud ought to be commonly defined or told to us that there is a difference on this.

That is not going to cut the mustard.

A number of us signed a letter--it is a bipartisan letter--on this funding issue on the staffing levels.

I am not sure there is a definition of fraud that is different between you and the GAO.

Doesn't that get to the heart of this issue?

I assume that is true around the country that you are trying to get these backlogs down.

You made the allegation. There may be a flat-wrong conclusion.

We do not want them waiting in line 3 years.

We need that watchdog.

But we also have a choice this year as to whether we put in the budget request--whether we adopt the budget requested by the Administration, I assume, for these efforts.