Patrick Leahy

Yes, because we have appropriated the money, and we have directed the program to go forward.

Recusal here is not discretionary. It's required by Justice Department regulations when you have a 'political relationship' with the President.

Don't let the Justice Department turn its back on its tradition being a guardian of equal justice for all.

I've never seen such attacks. And again, that's attacks against people in Democratic or a Republican administration.

I worry that the walls intended to protect the independence and credibility of our law enforcement institutions are at the risk of crumbling.

If there's one area where you and I are in total agreement--total agreement--and that is that we care deeply about the integrity of the Justice Department.

We consider the oversight operations of this committee very important.

We have discussed the frustration we both share about the anti-competitive tactics used by brand drug companies to deny the sale of samples to generic manufacturers.

I know your job is to defend the administration's budget, but putting that aside, given China's expanding influence, the spread of extremism, and the scale of human displacement and misery today, how can we be sure that USAID is meeting…

Actions speaking louder than words is a cut of 50 percent. Which action are you speaking of?

I also heard you looked into the Bien Hoa Airbase and the dioxin remediation project we are now embarking on.

We all agree with helping our partners become more self-reliant. But we also have a role.

If all goes to hell in a hand basket in any number of these countries, we are going to spend a great deal more as American taxpayers to try to put it back together.

Foreign assistance actually accounts for only a fraction of 1 percent of the Federal budget.

It is not a legitimate argument to say we cannot support foreign assistance because we have domestic needs here at home.

This budget, if enacted, would degrade USAID's ability to carry out its mission.

There is a glaring disconnect between this administration's policy documents and its budget.

I hope this Committee will stay united, as it was in fiscal year 2018, in opposing a return to isolationism and the abandonment of our country's reputation as a global leader for democratic values.

Not a day passes without President Trump using social media to vilify the press, undermine the independence of our justice system, and slander his opponents.

Unfortunately, those positive trends have been eclipsed by a rise in authoritarianism.

This budget would erode decades of progress, including in increasing life expectancy and lifting people out of poverty in developing countries, and promoting democratic values and human rights around the world.

The President's request for fiscal year 2019 is not the budget the United States needs to protect and promote our interests and influence abroad.

I think it's great that he's leading the U.S. Agency for International Development.

Congress clearly rejected in the fiscal year 2018 Omnibus the President's proposed cuts to housing and community development programs.

It is clear that you and I have very different visions of what the budget for the Department of Housing and Urban Development should be.