If we don't have the right people, if we can't recruit and retain the right people, this is not going to work.

There are 15 million unemployed Americans.

If you exclude the OCO [Overseas Contingency Operations] accounts, the overseas accounts in Iraq and Afghanistan, and you look at real dollar defense budgets, the defense budget is 40 percent higher than it was in 2001 in real dollars.

This is not just another academic exercise where people debate the metaphysical question whether auditable statements are a good thing or a bad thing.

They are going to be very consequential decisions that literally affect the life and death of the men and women who serve.

The country would be ill-served if we make these decisions based on insufficient evidence.

The question is whether we are going to make them based on good evidence or insufficient evidence.

if you expect to be audited, you begin to change your behavior. Members of Congress would be wise to maybe keep that in mind, too.

the relevant committees of the House have written to the DOD and asked what guidance they have received.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman, for your courtesy and professionalism, and that of your staff.

I think the beginning of the chairman's remarks were right on point. We have more than 13 million Americans unemployed as we meet this morning.