Some people expect the lawmakers to just cut the check and don't ask too many questions, but Congress should not give any president a blank check and Congress should not be a rubber stamp, as the branch of government most responsible for the character and contours of our military.

Mac Thornberry

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I would counsel against it. by Mac Thornberry

I would counsel against it.

The Europeans are not going to re-impose sanctions so where does... by Mac Thornberry

The Europeans are not going to re-impose sanctions so where does that leave us and Iran?

We ask a lot of our men and women in the Navy, the time they spend at sea is increasing, while their ships age and their funding gets cut. These are just the conditions that can lead to an increase in the kinds of accidents we are witnessing.

I was asking Mac Thornberry three questions, what am I doing ? What am I not doing ? And how can I make up the difference ?

We've got a lot of ground to make up for the good of the nation and for the good of the men and women who are risking their lives by flying.

We're working these airplanes beyond their design life so that when they do have to go in for maintenance they stay there longer because there are more problems to fix.

I think the public is nervous, and they need to know that we have the military capability to prevail should a conflict come.

When the president sends more people to Afghanistan more people to Iraq, he doesn't ask for more money. The costs just come out of the training, the maintenance and the readiness of our force.The problem is getting worse.

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I believe that it would be appropriate for him to ask for the DOD Inspector General's assessment that no classified material was transmitted over unsecured channels, it would be prudent for this assessment to extend to Secretary Carter time as Deputy Secretary of Defense as well. Congress should be briefed on the results. Secretary Carter, speaking with reporters during a visit to Iraq, acknowledged Secretary Carter was warned by a lot of people and called the practice a mistake.

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If they are unwilling to come and answer questions about the biggest national security data breach we've ever had, then that does not inspire greater confidence, so I'm sure we will pursue the matter with them again.

They refused to come, i've never had anybody complain about it be... by Mac Thornberry

They refused to come, i've never had anybody complain about it before.

We do it every day (with) things that are a lot more highly class... by Mac Thornberry

We do it every day (with) things that are a lot more highly classified than this.

He'd be foolish to veto it, but I can't promise you he's not goin... by Mac Thornberry

He'd be foolish to veto it, but I can't promise you he's not going to be foolish.

There's a lot more work for Congress to do, we'll be holding hearings and other events to examine the military implications, including whether other countries will be encouraged to develop their own nuclear capability in order to keep up with what Iran is allowed to do under this agreement. And whether there is an increased threat to U.S. servicemembers.

Russia is threatening nearly everybody; it is their way. by Mac Thornberry

Russia is threatening nearly everybody; it is their way.

They want to intimidate the Baltic states, Poland, Ukraine and Romania, country after country. And the question is, do you let the bully get away with that or do you stand up and say 'no, you can threaten, but we will not allow you to run over us,'.

Iraq has shown us the consequences of leaving a fragile ally too early, the bottom line is that our own security is at stake.

The world is dangerous and the pace of operations is increasing. by Mac Thornberry

The world is dangerous and the pace of operations is increasing.

That makes it easier for them to plot and plan against us. by Mac Thornberry

That makes it easier for them to plot and plan against us.

To be strong, we've got to stop the slide in defense budgets that has reduced our base defense spending 21 percent since 2010.