Kit Bond

I am not going to vote for it until I have that path laid out.

Refusing to deal with them, or putting off the tough choices, is not a responsible way to go about it.

This budget is making me feel a lot like Bill Murray in 'Groundhog's Day.'

With a $12 trillion and growing deficit, we cannot continue to throw Federal funds at projects, willy-nilly.

In my way of thinking, ensuring America has an updated transportation infrastructure is a key responsibility of government.

We need money in the budget.

I fail to recognize the strategic value in closing the only active production line for long-range strategic airlifters.

I believe strongly we take for granted our defense base will always be there, maintaining capacity and innovation to keep the United States and our warfighters second to none.

I'm not willing to buy the 14th Street Bridge again.

It's obvious that the situation has only grown more dire, as evidenced by the Nunn-McCurdy breaches...

I don't subscribe to the overall line of thinking that we have to accept a smaller Air Force.

I think we deserve a robust missile defense strategy that fosters trust and security, and not shape our actions to please Russia.

I'm equally uncertain that the new approach will provide 100-percent assurance to American families from continental--in the continental United States being vulnerable to an ICBM from Iran.

This backdoor BRAC will threaten our ability to police our Nation's skies.

I believe appropriately, as a 'backdoor BRAC' of Air National Guard units.

I will only believe it when I see it.

The Navy is concerned about the F-35s being ready and available, and even whether they can fly off of carriers.

In a time of economic downturn and smaller defense budgets, we encourage the Department of Defense and the Air Force to adopt structures such as active associate wings to leverage the Air National Guard's lower operating and infrastructure…

I'm concerned the F-35 will be too expensive to be procured in sufficient quantities to recapitalize the Air Force and the Air Guard.

Thank you, General McKinley, for your very kind words.

I applaud your statement about demanding on-time, on-budget acquisition, that you would terminate a program that was substandard or with a cost escalation.

Our ability to protect the American homeland, American troops overseas, North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) allies, international partners, is tied directly to an effective global missile defense strategy.

It's been a great honor to work with you, but it's been a real pleasure to work with my friend Pat Leahy.

Equipment is the lifeblood of a military organization--there is no doubt about it.

We wish you a great deal of well-being back in the State of Missouri when this run is over.