Ron Johnson

I think it's just absolutely critical that we move forward with this thing.

I would never propose anything that would harm----

This is very important from a standpoint of economic growth.

This truly is a bipartisan effort. I think that's a good thing.

I thank Senator Sessions. I will point out that business as usual here in Washington is bankrupting America. Senator Vitter.

I thank the Senator from Florida for those comments, and I want to pick up on one point the Senator just made about class warfare. Certainly, as a job creator myself of 31, 32 years, I know an awful lot about entrepreneurs, and I have to…

I totally agree with my colleague from Kentucky, and I believe Senator Rubio has a few words to add to that.

Reserving my right to object, I may not object to this request. It certainly is not addressing the primary problem facing our Nation; that is, the fact that we are bankrupting this Nation. We need to start actually addressing that in the…

I am just highly concerned that if nobody is looking at this now, we will be in a crisis if we do not increase that debt ceiling.

Well, Mr. Dodaro, let me ask you in terms of GAO's efforts in something like that. Have you ever seen that type of prioritization just in case?

So again, I am concerned that we are trying to fear-monger here, we are trying to scare the American public, and if we plan for this, it would not be pleasant, but it would not have to be a crisis if we plan.

I think the Congress ought to start by asking hard questions where there have not been evaluations and a lot of money is being spent.

I think that is a very irresponsible assumption.

I would suggest that potentially this Committee issue a letter to these agencies and ask them and request them to prioritize essential services just in case this debt ceiling does not get increased so that we can avoid a crisis in case…

Congress would have the ultimate decision.

Obviously you are a creature of Congress here, as is the Congressional Budget Office (CBO). Would those be the two agencies that would try and develop those types of plans, just in case?

I am every bit as concerned and alarmed about these two Executive Orders as you and I hope the Administration rethinks those very rapidly.

Senator Carper's bill to require an OPM recalculation to correct the mistakes and balance the accounts is desperately needed to stop the crippling payments.

I used the analogy earlier today, because I have a dirty garage, but if you are going to try and clean it, you start somewhere.

We simply cannot afford to have inefficient and ineffective Government.

I came to Washington because we are bankrupting this Nation. We are here at a very serious time.

I think the fundamental issue here is the fact that there is a trade-off between safety and economic activity.

I think we have overregulated. I think regulation is strangling our economy.

I do not have a great deal of faith in government's ability to estimate costs.

We are spending over $1.5 trillion this year that we do not have, and certainly in business, if you want to control a department, you stop feeding the best.