Why shouldn't this be, really, a local control and local funding?

I, personally, think education is, by and large, a local issue.

I support President Obama's ConnectED Initiative to connect 99 percent of students to broadband and high-speed wireless.

Certainly, one of the issues that my chief of staff is grappling with here in Congress, never having really to worry about that--now all of a sudden because of the Affordable Care Act I think all these offices are trying to figure out how…

Who made the decision never to fully ramp up the five requested temporary duty diplomatic security personnel?

I have to admit this does not make much sense to me, and then both Dr. Coburn and I have an accounting background.

Why would we actually ramped down the security in Benghazi when the people on the ground were asking for additional security?

I expect to build on the relationship that John Berry had with the Inspector General, Mr. Patrick McFarland, at the OPM, and I would look forward to that relationship.

We are looking at the Afghan special mission wing, some reports on that. My concern is this is going to be the aircraft version of the $34 million building.

You took that responsibility on yourself then to deny those requests for additional security even though we knew those security situations were deteriorating.

Were you disturbed by the report, as disturbed as I was?

During the Foreign Relations Committee hearing when we were questioning Secretary Clinton, there were certainly accusations that one of the problems in Benghazi is the funds just simply were not available.

By May 2010, they said they really do not want it, but in February 2011 it was contracted out.

But again, no decision was made but did you ever talk to Secretary Clinton about setting up a permanent presence in Benghazi?

Maybe not a decision but was there a desire to do so?

Are we going to spend $772 million?

What we have is a basic lack of accountability in government, and that is why it is so out of control.

Did you make any phone calls prior to this hearing to get prepared to answer the question?

But would we not really take a look at the cost of that though?

The $34 million building, 64,000 square feet, what is just depressing about that is the commanders tried to stop its construction.

I think you need to be very careful when you have a very limited supplier base.

So again, I am not trying to beat up on the witnesses here. I am just trying to point out the futility--and we are seeing it.

So really, the incentive in government is failure actually pays off in government, does it not?

I just want to suggest, I have sat through enough hearings now in 2½ years of how do you reform government.

This is not really the sexiest subject for a hearing.