A lot of our economic competitors in the world don't have FOIA.

First of all, Congress provided for that?

That takes a little time which could add to the backlog not because anyone is trying to prevent information from getting into public hands but because actually we are trying to protect the innocent and sensitive material?

the President issued the Executive Order... directing agencies to err on the side of disclosure rather than secrecy.

a reversal, I might add, of the Bush era policy, which certainly favored secrecy led by the distinguished Vice President, at the time, Dick Cheney.

Do you believe that there is some lesson in that?

We can't be delusional about how much, but--and maybe it had counterproductive impacts, as well.

So it went up, not down, under President Obama?

Did we not also put some money into advanced battery manufacturing?

I want to see a more robust documentation so that the narrative, the story is out there that is a good story.

you can't take credit for that which you are deterring just because you are being overcome by the private sector

So would you say that the program funded by the Recovery Act was a success, in your view?

A great power must reject the false choice that we can deal with our debt or we can deal with other obligations but we cannot do both.

This important amendment will help small and emerging growth businesses address a significant cost they incur--the rising price of gasoline. According to the National Federation of Independent Businesses, 10 percent of businesses say…

I demand a recorded vote. The Acting CHAIR. Pursuant to clause 6 of rule XVIII, further proceedings on the amendment offered by the gentleman from Virginia will be postponed. Amendment No. 10 Offered by Mr. McCarthy of California The…

We need to too, and so I would hope that we have a balanced approach to the budget this year and that we eschew ideological rigidity in this regard for the sake of the country.

But cuts alone will not solve our problem. You cannot ignore the other side of the ledger.

If they could do it, we can do it.

I would inquire of the Chair how much time is left on our side. The Acting CHAIR. The gentleman has 1\1/2\ minutes remaining.

Well, I'm saddened, but of course not surprised, that my friend on the other side would not want a simple amendment to study the effect of oil speculation on the price of oil because it doesn't fit the political narrative. So while we're…

I do not think that is fair, and I think the disparagement of the federal workforce does nobody honor.

I urge the committee to take a balanced approach.

I am hopeful that we can push aside our partisan differences and continue investing in America's growth.

We are at 24 percent of GDP as a percentage in terms of federal spending; that is too high, it needs to come down.

I am hopeful that we can find a way to shield the Urban Areas Security Initiative from further cuts.