My point is, I understand we have to build it. But maybe I am missing something, but usually we deploy systems that are at least built, not fully tested, but at least built.

Mr. Secretary, I could not agree with you more.

You are going to have to replace them is my point.

The sooner these plans are presented to us, the more opportunity we will have to look at your proposals.

Secretary White, many of the questions this morning focused on the forces that will be needed to not only decisively engage in defeat of Iraq if so ordered, but longer term occupational forces.

Let me raise the pressure that we are seeing back home with the National Guard and Reserve.

One of the reasons I am concerned about it is that, generally, these things usually take longer and more people than you expect even in your most realistic estimate.

Of course with this deployment forward, you have to have a rotational force upon it.

I think the long-term concern is if we stay at current levels of mobilization, eventually it's going to impact on Reserve component retention and recruiting as well.

it is very difficult to interject military forces into a region and it is sometimes more difficult to get them out

One of the confusing elements is the apparent disparate treatment between the threat posed by Iraq and the threat posed by North Korea.

Unless the world wakes up and says this is a dangerous thing, and creates a set of regimes that will in fact get cooperation to stop those weapons, we are going to be facing a very serious situation in the next 5 years.

Our response to the North Korean situation has been to refer it to the United Nations, our response to the Iraq situation has been to, we hope, encourage the United Nations enforcement but prepare to go it alone.

We are deploying it in 2004; is that correct? Am I wrong?

I simply want to commend you for taking the initiative along with Senator Harkin on this very important issue

I have heard that a cut in the budget is not a reduction but an encouragement.

As important as the Federal assistance is, it is at the local level where the key decisions concerning how to develop and fund local transit operations are made. The most important thing for transit agencies to accomplish in order to meet…

I am concerned that loans under $50,000 would not be counted toward the 12.25 percent cap.