I really appreciate this Committee's interest in examining the merits of legislative reforms that alter both the procedures by which regulations are developed and the decision criteria on which they are based.

Eighty percent of the benefits that we pay out are paid for by return on investment.

Is it your understanding from your fellow Governors that Vermont is unique and that most State pension funds are in fact under water or about to go so?

We'd like to ask for your support and leadership in helping us break through some of the stovepipes and bureaucracy at the DOD.

Thank you.

there is a notion of a moral contract.

The most important issue I feel is community support of the servicemembers and their families.

A Veteran--AD, Reserve, NG, or Retired is someone who, at one point in their life, wrote a blank check made payable to 'The United States of America,' for an amount of 'up to and including my life.'

That's a huge leadership question, too, when you turn around to people who are out there really having to do the hard work, and you can turn around and say somebody came in for a change of command for 2 days and got this huge break.

I think so much of it comes from the improvised explosive devices, where people are inside vehicles and you have this echoing impact that a regular blast, in other wars, did not really experience.

there's no better recruiter than a veteran who goes back to his or her home community, and is proud of what they did.

We have so many people, who are now contracting force, who are doing, at a minimum, quasi-military functions.

Thank you very much.

I do not think that people who served in the military should have that burden, in and of itself.

As a Service, from our most senior leaders to our newest airmen, we remain committed to a zero-tolerance standard of sexual assault.

the TRICARE fee increase proposal violates a moral contract that the government has with those who served in the military.

I am delighted to be serving with Senator Graham, as the ranking member, of this subcommittee.

Thank you again for your continued support of our brave airmen and their supportive families.