Mike Lee

I think the thought of going to jail is a pretty powerful deterrent absent having other authority.

As I understand it, the Department does not currently have in place a mechanism whereby a company's own compliance program can be taken into account when discussing settlement for illegal cartel activity.

I do not necessarily hear you saying that there is a legitimate purpose for the practice. Do you think there is? Should it be abandoned altogether?

I suspect that this happens a fair amount because they want to obtain a larger fine.

Do you think the procedures you have in place are adequate to address that?

Do you think the extent to which you take it into account is adequate?

Cartels cost Americans many billions of dollars every single year.

Cartel activity has no redeeming value, no virtue.

Our bill would tighten statutory authorities governing surveillance, would increase oversight and accountability, and would ensure that Americans' constitutional rights under the Fourth Amendment are protected.

If you give too much power to the Government with regard to domestic surveillance, eventually it will be abused.

It is time we started requiring a little more sunlight in this fairly shadowy space.

Due to its national importance, the Navy will maintain a credible and modernized sea-based strategic deterrent even if it results in taking risks in other missions of the Navy.

Delays in depot maintenance and upgrades to missile warning and space surveillance tracking will significantly impact national missile defense and space situational awareness.

Prolonged sequestration will force difficult choices concerning nuclear modernization and sustainment programs.

Delays to depot maintenance create a bow wave of requirements.

Will we see changes in our strategic objectives and priorities because of budget restraints?

The Nation will be more secure and will achieve more sustainable savings if reductions in defense spending are made in a more reasoned way.

Sequestration cuts deeply into Air Force investment accounts, which under the law must be applied equally at the program, project, and activity level.

So presumably those options will be considered by the President and the Secretary of Defense, and at some point a decision will be made?

It seems to me that if the administration did, in fact, think this situation was this dire, as dire as you are explaining it to us, I would expect to see that issue, those sets of issues, receive a lot more time and attention and energy…

I have not sensed quite the same level of alarm coming from the White House as I have sensed when I've met with each of you.

I express my deepest gratitude to you and those who serve under your command.

Sequestration is very harmful to Air Force readiness and our airmen.

The legislation that I have cosponsored with Senator Durbin, the Smarter Sentencing Act, S. 1410, would decrease mandatory minimum sentences for certain categories of drug offenders.

I think we have to look very closely at our current scheme of mandatory minimum sentences as a result.