the currently improving economic numbers should not distract us from some very disturbing trends that persist

I have seen no leadership from the Administration suggesting proposals of this order. Would you urge them to begin this process now?

some of the legislation I have seen lately proposed by the Administration is proposing to repeal the laws of arithmetic

the structural changes that appear to be siphoning off jobs to places around the world

The most remarkable thing about this budget is what it leaves out, not what it includes.

If this supplemental is delayed past September 30, say the end of November, or even delayed until the following year, which is customary nowadays, you will burn out all the money that is appropriated?

One of the key aspects of an operational test is that you control the tests, not the contractors.

Thank you very much, Mr. Chairman.

I think it is a deceptive way to finance the operations of the military and I think it also has practical ramifications.

You have the obligation to come before us with a detailed estimate of the cost and what you propose to do in the way of covering those costs.

Mr. Secretary, do you think crouching naked for 45 minutes is humane?

Would you describe this as a good interrogation technique or a violation of the Geneva Conventions?

I would suggest, Mr. Secretary, that you're not doing your job then.

What I've heard from you is dissembling and avoidance of answers, and lack of knowledge, pleading legal process.

It sounds to me like a violation of the Geneva Convention.

All these costs do not seem to be properly included within the budget going forward.

So if he's dressed up, that's fine, but this also has other environmental manipulation.

General Schoomaker was here a few weeks ago and said that at the current burn rate of spending on Iraq and Afghanistan he would be out of funds by October 1 unless there was a supplemental appropriation.

If you could provide me a more specific written response----

It appears to me that we lost 10,000 soldiers, real boots on the ground, at a time we had stop-loss orders in effect.

Do you think that is the right approach, Mr. Secretary?

Thank you, gentlemen, for your service to the Nation, which begins and ends with the profound appreciation of the service and sacrifice of the young Americans you lead, and I thank you for that, too.

Then why do you not propose a budget that reflects accurately all the costs that you anticipate over the next year for Afghanistan and Iraq?

Why can you not include those costs today in your budget, so that we can make appropriate decisions about offsets, about priorities?

I do not believe I insisted on that; did I?