Political Quotes

“it is my understanding we may have a vote this afternoon. I have often said the most important bill we pass every year--and we have passed every year for the last 52 years--is the National Defense Authorization Act. I would like to say this about the process we have gone through. I do not recall ever having worked with a chairman when I have been in the minority who has been so easy to work with as Chairman Levin has been on this Defense bill. It is one we all understand we have to do. It has to be a reality. A lot of what we do around here we can wait a month and do it. But on this we cannot, because right now we have men and women in the field. We have their paychecks. We have things that have to happen to keep this going as it has in the last few years. Maintenance and modernization are right now. If we were not able to pass this now, our research and development would no longer be able to be there in time to take care of the immediate needs we have. I am very upset about what has happened to our defense system. Under this administration, we have lost $487 billion in Defense--coming out of the hide of Defense. In addition, we are now looking at the sequester. I will only say this, perhaps for the last time: Why should our defense system, which is only accountable for 18 percent of the budget, be responsible for 50 percent of the cuts? It is because this administration is determined that is what is going to happen to the military.…”