Chuck Edwards

We have to get the deficit down to about 3 percent of GDP in order to stabilize debt.

I think that is interference in State local affairs that we do not really need.

I do not believe in Federal bailouts because I think that is unfair to the frugal States.

For those of us who believe, as the Secretary said... that we do need more nuclear power plants.

I happen to disagree with it. We just passed a bill to try to address global warming.

I see the role of the Federal Government as being one that knocks down barriers or tries to create opportunities...

We have passed historic and unprecedented increases in V.A. funding.

Indian Country needs your help to provide health, education, and welfare for our membership.

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.

Let me say, as chairman of the Military Construction Committee, the modernization of our DOD hospital system was shamefully ignored for many, many years through Democratic and Republican administrations.

I have concerns about the readiness of our Army as well as our other services.

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 system, improving our barracks, and…

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.

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 pushed by Congress at a time it was…

Let me say that the Predator, the very effective Unmanned Aerial Vehicle that is saving lives and helping our troops in Iraq and Afghanistan and carry out their mission today as we speak from the comfort and safety of this room, was a…

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 dramatically; two, provided more transparency for…

Thanks to MILCON/VA Appropriations Chairman Chet Edwards, VA received a $2 million appropriation for IT support.

I think OMB dictated a ridiculous inflation factor that didn't pass the laugh test.

We don't have time to get into all the details of storage of nuclear bombs.

If we are saving that much in the real world, we need to brag about it. If we are not, we need to know that.

I am not here to beat up on anybody for what happened in the past.

I think we need to--as the military often does, lessons learned and apply that.

I think that is an important decision to make, and I would reiterate, we have not made that decision.

But we ought to treat each other with respect. And we will certainly make a good-faith effort to try to get answers.

We will ask the Pentagon whether it is being reconsidered or if they are moving ahead.