Robert C. Byrd: “Mr. Secretary, do you have any concern that once you lift the stop-loss order, you will see a mass exodus of experienced…”

In closing, may I say that the President's request includes $658 million for construction of the U.S. Embassy in Iraq.

Why should Congress not have some limitations on this? It is the taxpayers' money.

Doesn't this send a signal to the Iraqi people and to the American people that the United States intends to have a large permanent presence there?

I will also ensure that the OIG pursues aggressive oversight of contracting issues.