I strongly support the Chair's acquisition reform strategy.

I think the thing that is so disturbing to me in the military area is that these thieves are stealing what are essentially tax dollars that are being paid on pensions, stealing them from veterans who have served their country.

I wish to put on the record, the IRS was extraordinarily cooperative in coming up with a payment plan that was not a burden to us.

It is amazing that we would have less regulation for these kinds of pension transactions than we would for insurance.

This is, sadly, eye opening, and especially the specter of ads targeting veterans with sort of flag waving...

Does DOD still anticipate reaching this goal by the end of next year?

the whole point of being able to respond is deterrence so that the attack won't occur.

So action that was taken to save lives in an ethnic cleansing situation, a huge atrocity, even without a predicate of a U.N. Security Council resolution calling precisely for delivery of aid into this area--you know, I know you can make…

We need to rethink our refugee laws to recognize that a large number of refugees are not going to return to their native countries.

sequestration level funding will severely decrease budgets at federal agencies that closely coordinate with DOD on cyber activities.

It seems to me that as we did in places like Kosovo, that it warrants a very, very hard look with our allies...

I think the vote that we had about using military force against the use of chemical weapons against civilians barely got a majority on this committee.

The ultimate solution here is for Assad to leave. We know that we need to have Assad out and I believe he should leave for The Hague to be held accountable for his war crimes.

countries, ultimately, only act in their own self-interest, and we have to convince the Chinese that it's in their interest to cut out this activity that's so detrimental to our country.

I do believe that the American people are very much behind our efforts against ISIS.

You said Assad must go. That made us hopeful. Us, Sunnis. But, you did not then pull the trigger on that step.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. And thanks, to the witnesses, for your efforts, your testimony, and, to Mercy Corps, especially, for your front-line work.

I cannot imagine how any military personnel would not feel supported in what they are doing.

The Sunni in both countries are looking at us as folks who will not really come strongly to their aid against ISIL.

the discussion of an AUMF has been, let us face it, more about limiting the next administration's ability to actually counter ISIS than to authorize efforts against them today.

Every worst-case scenario has come true that we have put together over the last 4 years of this conflict.

If both General Austin and Dr. Kagan suggest that this is a multiyear effort, I am struck... by the fact that we are 14 months in into a war, and we have said virtually nothing about it.

I want to rise and offer some thoughts on the comments we just heard from the majority leader and from our leader. I want to say a word about process, and I want to say a word about partisanship. Let me start with a word to all of my…

I ask unanimous consent for Michael Pascual, a fellow in my office, to be granted floor privileges during today's session. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered. ____________________

I thank my ranking member and friend, the Senator from Maryland, for those kind words. Mr. President, I rise to discuss the Iran deal currently being debated in the Senate. We have not had a national security issue during my time in the…