I think maintaining our shipbuilding capacity in this country is really critical, as you mentioned in your testimony, that other countries are forging ahead.

It is an honor to serve on the Senate Appropriations Committee and especially to be serving as your ranking member.

Access to mental health services remain a tremendous challenge, particularly in rural areas.

CBO and GAO play a vital role in supporting the Congress' legislative and oversight responsibilities by providing objective and authoritative information to the Congress.

If most of the savings occur outside of the scoring window, it becomes a policy and an appropriations question.

But does the expertise, is it the same set of knowledge and expertise and all the rest of it on the Library side?

I am anxious today to get started on our work together examining the budgets of agencies funded in this bill and making sure that the taxpayers' money is being spent wisely.

I will just add, finally on this issue, you have the general trepidation that a lot of veterans have in terms of availing themselves of services at VA, but you also have the special challenges of the stigmatizations of mental health…

I think the report confirms ESPCs and UESCs are a sound strategy.

I look forward to examining your budgets closely today and working with you throughout the year as we conduct ongoing oversight.

I would just ask you to stay nimble on this one because we're obviously nowhere near having built out all 93 acres.

The high risk list provides Congress and the committee a clear and informed set of oversight priorities.

What about the expenditure side? Am I misunderstanding what an energy savings performance contract is?

However, I would say that there is an upside to maturity and that we have been doing this for a number of years.

What I think would suffer would be innovation.

I kind of understand how constrained you may be because frankly it is a difficult challenge.

You are all institutionalists. You keep us safe. You keep the place running.

Recent policy and funding decisions are being considered within a challenging fiscal climate, making CBO's cost estimates, budget projections, and economic forecasts especially important.