If the Maritime Security Program's effectiveness is minimized and U.S. flag is reduced, what would be the impact on our military's ability to fully activate, deploy and sustain forces?

Sequestration is the greatest risk to future readiness.

I could not give you a better example of the impacts of sequestration than the A-10 discussion we're having.

Today, less than half of our Nation's military is ready to perform their core wartime mission.

Budgetary certainty is a significant generator of uncertainties.

I continue to believe, as I expressed in one of my first votes in the Senate, we need to repeal sequestration.

Fourteen years of sustained combat, together with the Budget Control Act of 2011, have presented the Nation with a unique readiness challenge.

I have a real sensitivity about this because of the effect of climate and sea level rise, especially upon the largest naval installation in the world in Hampton Roads, Virginia.

We can't buy time to restore readiness.

Less than half of our Navy's ships are ready to ship to meet wartime plans.

If dollars were no object, we might not be having the debate.

We must ensure that workers conducting long-term TDY for off-yard work are fully supported and encouraged.

Today, 80 percent of aviation squadrons do not have the required number of aircrafts to train.

The goal of the Osprey readiness is 87 percent, but it's about 60 percent today.

the Navy will again exceed the mandated capital investment of 6 percent across our shipyards.

Corrosion DOD-wide--$22 billion a year. Wow. $22 billion a year.

We have a lot of innovative private sector folks in Virginia in the additive manufacturing or 3D printing area.

I have been in our shipyards a million times, but I am not a professional at it.