"So many congressional earmarks, Mr. Chairman, coming from Congress are actually Defense requests made from our commanders in theater or our base commanders whose requests were turned down by OMB."
"given that slowdown in construction and in some parts of the country, reductions in the natural cost of construction, this might be a good time to make the investments in modernizing our DOD hospital ..."
"It is no laughing matter to troops from Fort Hood near my district in Texas who are on their third or fourth tour of duty in Iraq and have small children back home and a spouse working."
"As a Democrat, I am proud that after 12 years of a Republican majority in the U.S. House, when Democrats took control of the House 2 years ago, we, one, dropped the total number of earmarks dramatical..."
"Let me say that the MRAPs program, that has saved a dramatic number of lives by deflecting the power of IEDs in Iraq and Afghanistan, was either a congressional earmark or a program that was strongly ..."
"Thanks to MILCON/VA Appropriations Chairman Chet Edwards, VA received a $2 million appropriation for IT support."
"We will ask the Pentagon whether it is being reconsidered or if they are moving ahead."
"I think that is an important decision to make, and I would reiterate, we have not made that decision."
"I think we need to--as the military often does, lessons learned and apply that."
"I think OMB dictated a ridiculous inflation factor that didn't pass the laugh test."
"I am not here to beat up on anybody for what happened in the past."