While I'm not in opposition to the proposed amendment, I do have an amendment that I had planned to offer. However, the process is going so fast and I was not here in time, but it speaks to the Wetlands Reserve Program at USDA, commonly…

In drafting this amendment, I saw nowhere where it would actually be considered an earmark. I'm definitely opposed to earmarks in this Congress, and it doesn't specify an entity in a certain State or a certain location. If you just want to…

I expect the tenor of today's hearing to be respectful. We are all here because we care about NASA and want it to succeed.

I strongly believe that any NASA Authorization bill that comes out of this Committee should reflect those realities.

This hearing should help us understand the threats to our safety and security and the defenses we need to defend against those threats.

I would like to say this bill does not require NASA to establish a Moon base or lunar outpost.

This authorization bill reflects a sincere effort to maximize return to the taxpayer while working to protect America's role as the world leader in space exploration.

This is a flawed draft, starting from its funding assumptions, and I cannot support it in its present form.

We have offered solid solutions and replacements for these damaging cuts, and we stand ready to work with the Senate and the Administration to replace the sequester with responsible, strategic cuts.

My goal for this hearing is to ensure that all of our Members have an opportunity to ask questions, raise concerns and debate important topics.

It also cuts NASA's Earth Science budget by one-third, which I find baffling.

I think this garners consideration, that as mandatory spending continues to erode important discretionary investments like NASA, we are forced to make very difficult decisions.

It is a missed opportunity to position NASA for excellence, and it's a bill that if enacted would lead to the erosion of the capabilities that have made NASA such a positive force for progress.

What benefits do you believe should consumers expect to derive from this merger?

Let me be clear--I am not advocating for deployment of readers at additional facilities or vessels at this time.

Yet, the program has long been plagued by delays, security vulnerabilities, and other problems.

This committee has a long history of TWIC oversight, going back almost to its inception.

Let's work together to get the right solution.