John Cornyn

President Obama has never submitted a proposal pursuant to that legal requirement, has he?

Are you prepared to do so today? Do you think the 40-year average norm of 20 percent, roughly, is appropriate, or do you think the new normal should be what it currently is under the Obama administration, 24.4 percent?

I would just submit that maybe it would be appropriate to say that the Office of Management and Budget not get paid unless they comply with the statutory mandate under the Medicare trigger.

Well, Mr. Lew, I am amazed at your unwillingness to answer a simple question, but let us move on.

The Obama administration has never submitted a report, correct?

It is estimated that there are between 4 and 5.5 million people who overstayed their visas.

One last question. In Fiscal Year 2012, 683 illegal aliens from terrorist sponsor and terror watchlist nations were apprehended.

I agree with Senator Durbin. You have got a very tough job.

I do not believe that the border is secure, and I still believe we have a long, long way to go.

Do you consider that a record to be proud of? Do you count that as success? Or how would you characterize it?

The reason that immigration reform failed in 2007 is because the American people do not actually believe that Congress intends to follow through on important measures.

I believe that we owe it to you not to engage in tokenism or symbolic acts but, rather, to try the best we can to address the causes and to come up with solutions and at the same time respecting the rights of law-abiding citizens to keep…

And would you not think that would be more reasonably calculated to protect innocent victims of gun crime than other actions that may be more symbolic in nature?

Well, my understanding is that it is not optional, but it is not being complied with.

Anything that falls short of serious examination and discussion is just window dressing, just symbolism over substance.

I hope this hearing serves as a starting point for us to consider a range of ideas on this topic.

I think we can and we should come together to address the shortcomings in mental health care.

If the Senator would yield for one last question, my understanding is that the fiscal cliff is going to be caused by the expiring provisions of various tax provisions that have been in place for 12 years, the so-called Bush tax cuts that…

I am a little confused. I do not know whether the distinguished majority whip is talking about the expiring tax provisions on December 31 as being manufactured or a bipartisan agreement or--what part of this did we have a chance to vote on…

At this time I yield to the distinguished Senator from North Dakota and then, following that, the distinguished Senator from Iowa for any comments he cares to make.

I understand that the Senator from New York has objected, and of course here we go again making the perfect the enemy of the good and not moving forward on commonsense immigration reform in an area where there is a consensus. There are…

Yes, I will. Mr. McCONNELL. With regard to the impact on the economy, I wonder how many Boeing employees, for example, there may be in the State of Washington. Does the Senator have a number on that?

My sense is that the needle is moving in Congress, and members on both sides of the aisle understand what you have so eloquently expressed in terms of the dire nature of our current circumstances and what the pragmatic solutions are, going…

Stonewalling Congress is not a constitutional crisis.

You will not allow Congress to do its job when it comes to oversight.