"Making Medicare an even less attractive model for nationalized health care is that the program is rife with fraud, waste, and abuse."
"What I am afraid is we are going to be 3 years behind on the recovery audits and we are going to be taking money from people that may or may not deserve it."
"If, in fact, you defraud the Federal Government, consequently, there ought to be a harsh penalty for that."
"According to some estimates, the annual amount of fraudulent payments made by Medicare approaches $60 billion."
"We are going to be allowed questions for the record?"
"I consider it a high honor to serve in this role, as matters within this Committee's jurisdiction... are among the Senate's most awesome responsibilities."
"I do not consider constitutional amendments lightly. Modifying the Nation's founding document should only be done in the most compelling circumstances."
"I am not wanting to put you on the spot so I am going to ask this question where you don't have to answer it directly."
"I have heartburn over the $787 billion. I have heartburn over the $55.1 billion."
"What we ought to be doing is redoubling our efforts to where we get that down to about 2 or 3 percent."
"If you do not get a buy-in of companies' capital on research... they are not ever going to be as efficient."