I would like to get an understanding of your motivations moving toward your decision based on the 2008 report in this area.

I recall going through the original Ranch Hand Studies in great detail back in the late 1970s, looking at the mortality rates and the incidence, particularly the liver--conditions of the liver were prominent back then.

I am proud of the role I played during my long career of service in getting my fellow Vietnam veterans the benefits they have earned for their service and sacrifices on behalf of our Nation.

We need for the long term an effort to create better data than what we are working with today.

I think this hearing will help bring greater awareness, here and in other places, of the immediate seriousness of this problem.

From a regional peace and security perspective, the worst aspect of China's Yunnan cascades is capability of the two biggest reservoirs.

Hopefully we can move forward to some sort of a structure in which we can start having an impact on these issues.

it is profoundly disturbing in its implications that--on a lot of different levels--environmentally, politically, culturally, strategically--in terms of this region, that we are not paying enough attention to this issue.

the initial impact of American reengagement in the Mekong and the wider Southeast Asia region has been working to the benefit of peace and stability, as intended.

the risks of both Chinese and proposed Lower Mekong projects the region's hard-won peace, stability, and the longer term prospects for sustainable development.

We can decline to invest in projects that are clearly harmful to environmental concerns.

As you know, China, which has about 20 percent of the Mekong River's water resources, is not a member of the Mekong River Commission.

Today's hearing will explore the critical intersection of the environment, foreign policy, and security in Southeast Asia.

What we can do--and have already accomplished to a surprising extent--is to use our expanded engagement with the region to 'keep China honest.'

I was very gratified to see China beginning to move forward with some cooperation here.

China's dam cascade in Yunnan will have different impacts, as opposed to those of the Lower Mekong dams.

But, that money--let's get our facts straight here--that money, according to testimony, is principally being spent to examine the impact of climate change.

To ignore the needs of the electric grid, to ignore the needs of broadband... there has to be broadband buildout.