Joe Manchin actually said...

"The effects of sequestration are going to be very significant on the defense industry, and we see it already."

"Some of the decisions that you have already announced--how long can we persist down that path before these decisions start to have an irreversible effect on our readiness and shipbuilding capacity?"

"Why is it so easy for DOD to quickly lay out detailed spending cuts, but so difficult for DOD to conduct a full, complete, and transparent audit?"

"If you had the flexibility, would the cuts be less painful?"