"Right now, we are seeing how the indiscriminate and irresponsible cuts from sequestration are hurting our economy."
"I think the Tax Code is a way that protects our citizens from the downsides of that."
"I have long believed that the case for austerity during times of economic weakness has been fundamentally flawed."
"I would welcome making the Tax Code fairer and simpler and having a more unified base, but certainly not if the revenues is meant to go to pay for more spending."
"A very specific claim in an academic paper cited frequently by many of my Republican colleagues on this committee to make the case for short-term austerity was found to be flawed."
"They are not using the tax increases to reduce the deficit."
"It seems to me that if history teaches anything, it is that those who carry the view that their end justifies extreme means are usually on the wrong side of history."
"Tax reform has to be fair to the middle class, and that means we will need more revenue from those who can most afford it."
"the case for austerity in a time of economic weakness is simply wrong."
"We all know sequestration was never intended to be implemented, so we should be focused on replacing it, not trying to make an unworkable policy just a bit less bad."
"Until then, I think it would be very difficult to explain a plan to middle-class Americans that asks them to sacrifice but gives the wealthiest Americans and biggest corporations a pass."