Senator Webb can speak to the transportation issues around, I will say that DOD has added enormously to the already horrible congestion in the NCR.

This is an issue that is extremely important to our relationship with Japan, as well as to the future of our presence in the Pacific.

These five countries present an opportunity, an almost unique opportunity, in terms of the ability for the United States to make a big difference in support for democratic reform.

This past year and a half, from my perspective here in the Senate, has resulted in the potential for much stronger relations between South Korea and Japan.

It's a little disconcerting when Members of the Senate write very specific policy-oriented letters... and receive a response from your office.

I wanted to come down, first, to express my best wishes and congratulations to the two nominees.

I think what we want to try to accomplish is to have a base or military presence that makes sense.

there's no real indication that the official in charge is accountable for what is in the letter.

I'm clearly going to support them, and I wish them the best in carrying out their responsibilities.

The future of this country is so inextricably intertwined with this region.

I appreciate the confidence the President and Secretary Clinton have placed in me by putting my name forward for your consideration.

Certainly it is the view of the United States that that kind of upstream/downstream communication needs to be enhanced and improved.

I have spent a great deal of my adult life, as you know, trying to build bridges so that we could move it forward.

I have been among those here who are very concerned about what is happening in the Mekong River Delta.

I personally have had strong concerns over many years about territorial claims in the South China Sea by the Chinese.

This is, indirectly, a sovereignty issue. Water, that is the availability of water in that region, can become a national security issue too if one country or another decides they can shut water off.

We are very sympathetic in this regard to Vietnamese concerns, and we will be watching, very closely, in the run up to the next Mekong River Commission meeting how this decision plays out.

We would be remiss if we did not recognize that there has been dramatic improvement in this area over the years.