Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) says that it “offends the hell out of him” that Congress would consider cuts to Defense spending that could result in the departure of some troops. (0:20)
Sen. Jon Kyl (R-Ariz) says that in early Jan. 2013, he, along with other Senate Republicans, plans to introduce legislation that would offset sequesters to Defense spending. (0:15)
Sen. Jon Kyl (R-Ariz.) explains his plan to sidestep automatic cuts set to be enforced beginning in 2013 on the Defense Department, among others. Kyl says he wants to begin an annual debate to offset Defense cuts with savings from other discretionary programs. (0:38)
Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) says that he’s willing to bet that the automatic spending cuts that will hit the Defense Department and the Pentagon as a result of failed supercommittee negotiations will not be implemented. (0:24)
Rep. John Larson (D-Conn.) says that he hopes his Republican colleagues in the House will work to pass full unemployment benefits instead of the scaled down provision included in their current payroll-tax cut bill. (0:14)
Defense Secreatry Leon Panetta says that violence in Afghanistan is at five-year low, making a path toward self-governance a less rocky one. (0:24)
Defense Secretary Leon Panetta says that Afghanistan is now on a better track to govern and secure itself from its biggest threats. (0:14)
House Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) says he knows what’s going on in middle-class America. The Speaker says that his 11 brothers and sisters come from all steps of the economic ladder. (0:29)
House Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) says that President Obama should respond to the downsizing of America’s workforce by urging the Senate to take up the 25 bills House Republicans refer to as job creators. (0:10)
House Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) says that more focus should be placed on the shrinking size of America’s workforce, which lost 300,000 workers last month. (0:10)
House Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) says that, despite the dip in the nation’s unemployment rate from 9 percent to 8.6 percent, America’s economy is not adding enough jobs for workers. (0:25)
Sen. John Hoeven (R-N.D.) says that new legislation that, if passed, would give the State Department 60 days to issue TransCanada Corp. a U.S. permit to begin work on the Keystone XL pipeline.
Hoeven adds that the revised route in Nebraska will be included following approval from Nebraska environmental regulative agencies and the Environmental Protection Agency. (0:39)
Sen. Dick Lugar (R-Ind.) says that President Obama has the opportunity to create at least 20,000 jobs if he allows the construction of the Keystone XL pipeline to begin. (0:21)
Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) says that President Obama and his administration have delayed issuing TransCanada Corp. a permit to begin work on the Keystone XL pipeline until 2013 in order to preserve political points leading up to the 2012 election. (0:29)
Sens. Pat Toomey (R-Pa.) and Claire McCaskill (D-Mo.) introduce legislation that would permanently eliminate earmarks.
McCaskill says that it would be “the whipped cream and cherry” on a dysfunctional government for anyone who votes against permanently eliminating earmarks. (0:18)
Sens. Pat Toomey (R-Pa.) and Claire McCaskill (D-Mo.) introduce legislation that would permanently eliminate earmarks.
McCaskill says she was shocked to find nearly 100 earmarks being included in the Defense Authorization bill. (0:17)
Sens. Pat Toomey (R-Pa.) and Claire McCaskill (D-Mo.) introduce legislation that would permanently eliminate earmarks.
Toomey says that the ban on earmarks will work to change the culture of Congress. (0:10)
Sens. Pat Toomey (R-Pa.) and Claire McCaskill (D-Mo.) introduce legislation that would permanently eliminate earmarks.
Toomey says that earmarks became a currency that members could use to buy votes. (0:18)
Sens. Pat Toomey (R-Pa.) and Claire McCaskill (D-Mo.) introduce legislation that would permanently eliminate earmarks.
Toomey labels the process in which members pursue earmarks as “flawed.” (0:23)
Benny Martinez