The concerns that we all share are the consequences for our troops and for the Iraqi people, that will flow from a decision to redeploy.

I have recently corresponded with Secretary Gates, requesting briefings for the appropriate oversight committees.

In my exchanges with Secretary Gates, I pointed out that the seeds of many of the problems that continue to plague us in Iraq, both in terms of troops and mission, were planted in the failure to adequately plan for the conflict and then…

I would ask each of you if you will commit to keeping this committee and Congress informed, in classified sessions, if necessary, about the process of contingency planning for any future redeployment.

It appears that the political progress is not occurring, and this is something that our chairman has been particularly focused on.

The political problems that the Iraqis are failing to address will, unfortunately, require that we take a different strategic attitude toward Iraq.

I think it is extremely important that we really understand where we're headed, with a new kind of enemy.

I would just underscore this, that this has to continue, and has to be focused.

I would like to ask that the committee request a copy of the IG's report that was referred to in the Business Week story and that it be made available to the committee as soon as possible.

I hope, too, that we do not try to expand the reach of the CARE Act by removing resources from areas which have historically been hardest hit by the domestic AIDS epidemic.

I could second Senator Burr's request that we look for a way to recapture funds that are not used.

I think we also have to take into account the impact on Medicaid--because certainly the bulk of the medical costs in New York are paid for by Medicaid.

I also hope that we could study carefully the support services.

Although New York only has 7 percent of the Nation's population, it has 17 percent of the Nation's AIDS cases.

I certainly welcome your offer to work with you, because I think that is what all of us are striving for.

The fact of the matter is we're still in a war and not everything about the war is known, but make no mistake, as I said earlier, we have high confidence that they have weapons of mass destruction. That is what this war was about and it is…

I am concerned, as the Commissioners know, about the overall safety of these aging plants and, in particular, the situation at Indian Point.

Would you not agree that the unique setting, and certainly the public concern about Indian Point argue for continued NRC oversight at the highest possible levels?