Rob Portman

One of the things that underscores our qualifications is she helps to put the 'M' back into OMB.

This is a critical part of at least a transition strategy to get us to an energy policy that makes sense.

I think you said in your oral presentation that there were not measurable objectives.

GSA needed to think through what it really wanted from this contract, and then it can assess price.

I think that after this hearing I would hope that the answer to the Chairman's question would be, yes, we made some errors and we can do better.

It does concern us very much, Senator.

But this relates to the general question that is being raised here: What should the rules be and the guidance be...

I hope we can learn from it.

We have an enormous fiscal crisis facing the country.

It is an honor to be here today in my first Subcommittee hearing as your Ranking Member.

This seems remarkably shortsighted and this fight for a competitive process is not over.

The Department has been operating this fiscal year under ambiguous guidance at best.

I believe that DOD has the discretion to issue a stop work order on the alternate engine program.

The then in-effect CR would continue fiscal year 2010 funding, terms, and conditions for the entire Federal Government.

I would share the chair's concern and the ranking member's concern on some of the priorities in the budget, particularly on the fossil fuel side.

What authorities prohibit DOD from permitting the continued use of limited government equipment deemed essential to the F-136 Fighter Engine Team self-funding proposal?

I think we're going to be forced to make some of those tough decisions, as you said, to prioritize.

We want to give them the stature that comes with that and empower them.

I just think we have to go to competition wherever possible, get the costs down, and be sure that it's open and fair.

This has been increasingly clear in the post Cold War environment, all elements of our national power must be used to provide for our security and build effective allies.

I am delighted to see that a former OMB Director could actually make something of himself.

Do you think ratification of these three agreements would be positive for our national security interests?

Ultimately, if we don't fix it, we will be robbing from some of the fundamental responsibilities you would have as Secretary of Defense to protect our country.

Their incentive right now... would make it advantageous for them either not to be a U.S. company.

This is a critical time because I think when you look at the economic growth possibilities as part of looking at our fiscal situation, tax reform is high on the list and it happens to be bipartisan.