2010: The Year in Quotes

I have repeatedly made it clear...that I will hold my staff, our agencies and the people in them accountable when they fail to perform their responsibilities at the highest levels.
President Obama announcing policy changes within the intelligence community as a result of the attempted terrorist attack on Christmas Day 2009. (Jan. 8)

There is no way -- no way -- that the defense budget will be immune to deficit reduction.
Stan Collender, managing director at Qorvis Communications, predicting the Pentagon's escape from discretionary spending scrutiny will be short-lived. (Jan. 27)

I never like these freezes, but as far as freezes go, this seems like a freeze-lite.
John Gage, president of the American Federation of Government Employees, reacting to President Obama's plan for a selective discretionary spending freeze starting in fiscal 2011. (Jan. 29)

You've got this double standard. The rest of the workforce is given a free day, but if you've signed a telework agreement in some agencies, you're required to work.
Rep. Gerry Connolly, D-Va., encouraging the government to consider rewarding employees who work from home while their colleagues take a snow day. (Feb. 11)

There needs to be consequences for both contractors and federal employees who fail to pay their taxes.
Rep. Darrell Issa, R-Calif., ranking member of the Oversight and Government Reform Committee, criticizing the panel for rejecting a provision that would have allowed agencies to fire tax delinquent federal employees. (March 5)

No matter how much we raise the budget, no matter how many people we hire, the backlog seems to get bigger.
House Veterans' Affairs Chairman Bob Filner, D-Calif., on all VA claims processing, including claims related to the Post-9/11 G.I. Bill. (March 30)

My fear is that the island will become so overly populated that it will tip over and capsize.
Rep. Hank Johnson, D-Ga., referring to Guam during a congressional hearing on the implications of moving more Marines to the tiny island. (April 5)

I believe that moving toward outsourcing or five-day delivery leaves the USPS in worse shape for the future, and I urge that these options be set aside.
Rep. Jose Serrano, D-N.Y., on GAO's new recommendations to improve the Postal Service's bottom line. (April 13)

It speeds up the whole process. You don't have to submit a book to be able to apply for a job.
Scott Gould, deputy secretary at the Veterans Affairs Department, predicting hiring reform will benefit everyone. (May 12)

Obviously, we're all oil industry. We're all from the same part of the country.
Larry Williamson, Lake Charles, La., district manager of the Minerals Management Service, on the relationship between agency inspectors and officials at the oil and gas companies they oversee. (May 26)

Now is not the time to talk about laying off federal workers, or freezing their pay.
Sen. Ted Kaufman, D-Del., opposing a legislative provision that would have frozen federal pay and the size of the government workforce. (June 18)

The vast majority believe their agency is accomplishing its missions and would recommend it as a good place to work.
OPM Director John Berry on the results of the latest survey gauging federal employees' job satisfaction. (July 13)

I was the senior government official in charge and I accept full responsibility for all my actions and all of my team's actions.
John C. Metzler, former superintendent of Arlington National Cemetery, on the mismanagement and record-keeping errors that disrupted gravesites. (July 30)

A number of full-time employees will have to find other positions or no longer work in this department.
Defense Secretary Robert Gates announcing major personnel cuts at the Pentagon as part of an overall restructuring. (Aug. 10)

We need to understand a lot more about the cost of talent in government.
Max Stier, president of the nonprofit Partnership for Public Service, on the value of finding a more universally-accepted method of calculating the gap between public and private sector salaries. (Aug. 13)

It is unbelievable to me that the Postal Service -- awash in red ink and asking for huge postal rate hikes, service reductions and relief from its financial obligations -- is paying the full health care premiums for its top executives.
Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, on findings from a recent USPS inspector general report. (Sept. 28)

The federal government has a brand image problem.
Gallup Editor-in-Chief Frank Newport on a poll showing that a large majority of Americans have negative perceptions of government. (Oct. 14)

The mandate is clear: Advance an agenda that will create real jobs, not government jobs, but real jobs to get our economy moving again.
Rep. Darrell Issa, R-Calif., on Republicans taking control of the House in the midterm elections. (Nov. 3)

What I didn't effectively, I think, drive home, because we were in such a rush to get this stuff done, is that we were taking these steps not because of some theory that we wanted to expand government.
President Obama, reflecting on the first two years of his tenure, during an interview with 60 Minutes. (Nov. 9)

The clear majority of high earners are highly specialized experts in their fields and many of them hold positions where lives are on the line.
OPM Director John Berry, in response to a report that the number of federal employees making more than $150,000 a year is ballooning. (Nov. 11)

I'm asking civil servants to do what they've always done: Play their part.
President Obama, calling on civilian federal employees to endure a two-year pay freeze to help balance the budget and improve the economy. (Nov. 30)

This baby ain't going away. Oh sure, it may be buried in an unmarked grave, and soon, but when the votes for the budget and extending the debt limit and debate on that comes up in the spring, this cadaver will rise from the crypt.
Former GOP Sen. Alan Simpson, who co-chairs the deficit commission, on the inevitability that Congress will have to deal at some point with the panel's recommendations. (Dec. 2)

If they want to shut down the government, that's their problem.
Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., on Republican tactics to stall the $1.108 trillion omnibus spending bill. (Dec. 17)