"I urge President Obama to strongly condemn the parties responsible for this act and consider the attack on a US-flag vessel as an attack upon the US.  Persons or organizations who attack US-flag vessels in international waters should be considered enemy combatants and the full might of the US including the use of the world's greatest Navy fleet should be used to safely bring the parties responsible to justice and prevent future harm to any US-flag vessels and crews. Furthermore, any attackers captured in this incident or subsequent attacks should be prosecuted by the US Justice Department, tried in US courts, and sentenced to serve out their sentences in US prisons.

I am happy to hear that the crew of the Maersk Alabama has retaken the ship, and all but their captain is safe.  I commend the crew for their brave actions, and I pray for the captain's safe release.  These actions are the result of a well-trained and prepared crew, common throughout our US Merchant Marine."

April 7 2009, (Washington, DC) - In order to meet the Navy's requirement for a 313 ship fleet, the Chief of Naval Operations (CNO), Admiral Gary Roughead, proposed reducing the number of DDG-1000s Zumwalt-class destroyers and restarting production of the DDG-51 Arleigh Burke-class destroyers.

The Navy has been working with Northrop Grumman and General Dynamics, the two builders of the Navy's destroyer fleet, to reach an agreement on future surface combatant workload within the shipbuilding industry.

Washington DC (April 3, 2009) - The House of Representatives voted on H.Con.Res. 85 last night.  This resolution sets the congressional budget for the United States Government for fiscal year 2010.  The resolution passed in the House by a vote of 233 to 196.

Rep. Taylor stated that, "The Budget Resolution adds $1.22 trillion to our federal deficit. The Congressional Budget Office predicts that there will be a deficit each year through 2014. All of the alternative budgets that have been offered also add to the federal deficit including the alternative budget submitted by the Republican Study Committee which has a $952 billion deficit.

I cannot, in good conscience support any of these budget proposals."

At recent town hall meetings, some constituents expressed concerns over our nation's growing national debt. As your member of congress, I have always been fiscally conservative calling for fiscal restraint and responsibility from the federal government. Today, I disagree with President Obama when he calls for additional deficit spending which will only add to our existing national debt. My position has been consistent. Back in 2001, however, I also disagreed with President George W. Bush when he stated that he would not pay off our nation's debt. Below are a few of President Bush's quotes from early 2001.

President George W. Bush's Quotes on Paying Down the Nation's Debts

February 27, 2001
Remarks Following Discussions With President Andres Pastrana of Colombia and an Exchange With Reporters

It does not make sense to pay down debt prematurely and, therefore, have to pay a premium on the debt that you prepay. And so we've calculated the amount of debt that our Nation can pay off over the next 10 years, and that's $2 trillion, leaving about $800 billion unpaid.