Ron Johnson

I want to make sure the Department is focusing on its primary mission, which is keeping America safe and secure.

The Government Shutdown Prevention Act, which would at the end of the fiscal year, after 12 months, if there is not an appropriation bill done, then you get a one percent across-the-board cut every 90 days until Congress does its job.

I frankly think it is not too much to expect to do 12 appropriation bills.

I do not see a bright future for Afghanistan. And I do not fault the military. I just do not think there is a military solution.

Maybe it is time we have a frank discussion--Congress--whether or not there is a military solution in Afghanistan.

There is no military solution.

I want to see what progress or lack of progress is being made against Taliban, Haqqani Network.

Is your assessment that the force through Taliban is growing? Is it declining? Is it stabilizing?

What percent would you say are the terrorist element? You know, maybe this is for Secretary Sullivan.

I want, you know, basically, your assessment of troop levels of our enemies.

It has probably gotten to the point where there are very few Americans that have not been touched in a very personal way, pretty close connection with someone who has died of some kind of overdose.

The continued success of EAS will depend on the expertise and ability of local authorities to fully and effectively deploy it.

What this is all about is further evidence of corruption, more than bias, but corruption at the highest levels of the FBI.

And the administration would absolutely support making those tax cuts for individuals and passthrough entities permanent?

So it would probably be a pretty good idea maybe if the House and the Senate were to propose that and hopefully get Democrat support to make those tax cuts permanent.

I obviously fought pretty hard for the approximately 95 percent of American businesses that pass through their income to the individual owner.

We are hoping for a clean audit much before 10 years.

Certainly Senator Cotton and Senator Perdue have been suggesting a far more merit-based immigration system, legal immigration system I completely support.

Isn't that a big problem, we literally pay people not to work? We require no work requirement?

Isn't part of our problems our welfare system that pays people not to work, that creates the lack of mobility?

In the 7 years I have been a United States Senator, there is not one manufacturing plant I have visited...that can hire enough people.

So, in other words, we increased exports, I would say because of NAFTA, or certainly after NAFTA was passed, by $340 billion, and our trade deficit only increased by seven.

Isn't that a good thing?

I will second that. You know, prior to this administration, it is about all I heard from the business community, is the new regulations, you know, specific ones or just generalized.

I share my colleague Senator John McCain's ongoing concern over the Department's inability to tell us how many contractors work there.