Joe Manchin

But what is the hammer? You've got the carrot. What's the--you don't have a carrot or a hammer.

I thank the Senator from Montana for speaking on behalf of the rural States. It is clear our Nation is facing two grave economic threats: a job crisis and a debt spiral. As much as some people may wish, we cannot ignore one threat over the…

I say to my friend that the way the system is set up and the bill, we are able to use this money where possible. An example of where money was used prior--we had two rounds of stimulus funding. This is our third. It was for a very worthy…

I ask unanimous consent that the text of my amendment be printed in the Record. There being no objection, the material was ordered to be printed in the Record, as follows: (Purpose: To establish a Federal loan program to carry out the…

If we look at that in numbers of people, what numbers of people--I saw here in the breakdown of the charge, you had Afghanistan, 101,000, almost 102,000 contractors.

But, truly, in the eyes of an average American, that would be trying to build another nation, and we can make determinations at the expense of our own.

This legislation is a prime example of federal, state and local cooperation though all levels of government and engagement with local residents.

I think just to make the point, if you could, if I could even talk with you all later...

If you are the largest employer and you are spending more than anybody has ever spent in that country, you would have to be doing something that you would call--define as nation building because you are the only one building anything.

Do you believe that we could utilize our National Guard much more effectively and cost efficiently?

The legislation Senator Warner and I have introduced, to create the Fort Monroe National Historical Park, is vital to the local community, the Commonwealth, and to historic preservation in Virginia.

Is it accurate to say that we are the largest employer in Afghanistan? That is accurate?

I think this is just one provision that is so important to getting that defense authorization passed.

It is unacceptable for one dollar of ours and our taxpayers' dollars to end up in the hands of our enemies.

Creation of the National Park outlined in our legislation is supported by a wide range of elected officials from both parties.

You can imagine the consternation a lot of us have here with what is going on in our country.

We can't afford to waste a single dollar as we seek to give our troops the resources that they need.

I think the most important thing I've got out of this whole discussion is that basically the only leverage we have is companies that are doing business in American waters.

You're going to use economic sanctions, I would assume against other companies that might go on behest of the Cuban government.

We are at a tremendous danger for the environment of the United States coastline and waters.

So you think the operators--you think basically the whole standard is going to be built around the operators agreeing to perform and to this function, basically, under the parameters that we've set not mattering--it doesn't matter what…

I think that's fair.

We're at the mercy of the Cuban government to make sure they do it right?

The Cuban government has a history of actively working against the interest of the United States.

That's my understanding too, is that the Cuban government is sponsoring some of this State owned drilling. What do you do in that case?