Press Conference With Senator John McCain And Senator Carl Levin

Press Conference

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SEN. MCCAIN: (In progress) -- that system that the Department of Defense acquires.

So Senator Levin pointed out the importance of this legislation and its highlights. I just want to reemphasize one point and that is that when a weapons system breaches its cost estimates, the response now required by Congress is far more vigorous than that in the past. Congress has got to be more involved earlier on if these weapons systems costs spiral out of control as unfortunately so many of them have.

I want to thank Chairman Levin for his leadership.

SEN. LEVIN: Senator McCain and I are releasing a joint statement, which you may or may not have, which summarizes the provisions in the bill and it's available to you now.

So, any questions? Yes.

Q (Off mike.) Chairman Skelton said he was hoping that he could complete the conference by Memorial Day, but do either of you have any particular comments or concerns about the House version -- (inaudible) -- to wrap up a conference.

SEN. LEVIN: Well, if they can get theirs passed I would think in the next week or so, we'd have a good chance of getting a conference before Memorial Day. There are some significant differences as I understand it between our bills and, of course, we think ours is the preferable, stronger bill.

SEN. MCCAIN: As always.

SEN. LEVIN: There's a real determination here on a bipartisan basis and it's bicameral to act in the area of these cost overruns. They just simply are unaffordable. They endanger, not just our taxpayers, but our troops. Our troops have a right to the best equipment that we are able to provide them and when we use extra, excessive funds for cost overruns on some weapons systems, that means we're denying other systems, which we might be able to bring onboard the funding that is needed for that to happen and that means we're denying our troops, as well as soaking our taxpayers.

Yes?

Q Senator Levin, you said that you can have a conference if -- (inaudible) -- before Memorial Day?

SEN. LEVIN: Well, that would be a great goal. The president has been very, very supportive as Senator McCain says and that is a goal that we should keep right in front of us, so hopefully, that's doable, but it's going to depend on when precisely the House finishes their bill. We would need, I would think, at least a couple, ten days to two weeks after that on a fast track.

Q Do you foresee -- (inaudible) --

SEN. LEVIN: If they do not have an independent cost assessment director, yes. It's a major advance in our bill. We give clout to that person. Right now, the keg is kind of buried a level or two levels down in the bureaucracy. It does not have one director who reports directly to the Secretary of Defense and we add the subject of Senate confirmation even to raise the level of power of that director even higher.

So if they don't have such an independent person, then that would be a major sticking point.

Q (Off mike.)

SEN. MCCAIN: A member of Senator Levin's staff on the Armed Services Committee. I'd be glad to get rid of a couple of them.

SEN. LEVIN: He stole my answer, except I was going to say it was on Senator McCain's staff. No, not that I know of.

Q Senator McCain, do you have any reaction to President Obama's announcement today on budget cuts?

SEN. MCCAIN: Well, I think they're important. I think many of them -- they're going to be tough. Many of them -- those that were proposed by the previous administration and what I'd really like to see from the president is just an open statement saying, I will veto any bill, appropriations bill that comes across my desk with a single earmark on it. That's the best signal you could send to Congress.

Q (Off mike) -- close that facility by January 22nd, 2010, and is it something that will be done in the regular appropriations process?

SEN. LEVIN: I think it's possible if there's cooperation from other countries in terms of sharing this burden.

Q Is that a big if?

SEN. LEVIN: It's an if, and there's another if, too. If we could find places in the United States, which are willing to take some of these prisoners as well, that they're not all going to be released, obviously. There are people there that need to be detained and need to be tried on criminal cases. The exact number, what proportion is unknown and that review is going on now, but it's a good goal and if there's a reasonable level of cooperation from other countries and if we can find some states that are willing to take some of those prisoners, it's achievable.

Thanks.

SEN. MCCAIN: Thanks.

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