"American exceptionalism demands that we do better than the proposal that has been put forward that does not have the plans to implement it in a safe and secure way."
"It is time to have an honest conversation about the Space Shuttle and its importance to our short-term capabilities."
"We also asked the President for the safe completion of the current Space Shuttle manifest even if it has to be flown into next year."
"We asked that he consider not the cancellation of the Constellation program, but the restructuring of it."
"We asked for the extension of the International Space Station's life, instead of it being cutoff in 2015 as previously planned."
"We asked that he consider a strong vision statement. In fact, we specifically said a vision of going to Mars."
"We here in the legislative branch are going to try to continue to work with the Administration to refine his plan and change some parts of it."
"We are going to relinquish our status as leaders and pioneers in space exploration."
"We will be, for the first time in nearly 50 years, for a period of years unable to go into low-Earth orbit."
"If we fail to act now, the President and this Administration will be remembered for killing America's leadership in space exploration."
"I unfortunately cannot take as optimistic of a view of the President's plan."
"The proposal by the Administration to, what I would call, kill the Constellation program... will be, in a word, devastating."