Hopefully, this may be the opportunity that the U.N. can be strong in forging a meaningful cease fire.

What's going on in Darfur is unacceptable, and we need to get that fully operational and working.

I would simply ask you for the record, if this discussion does come up, and there is any consideration of changing current statutes relative to the definition of modifications within depot maintenance, that you commit that you're going to…

I think that still remains our weakest link there.

You're certainly very correct in pointing out that the shrinking industrial base has been a real issue.

I think the chairman and Senator McCain's bill does address this in a very strong way.

This year, Congress passed legislation authorizing fiscal year 2010 Active Duty end strengths for the Army, of 562,400; the Marine Corps, of 202,100; the Air Force, of 331,700; and the Navy, of 328,800.

If confirmed, will you pledge to give Bob Carey and the Federal Voting Assistance Program all the personnel and support they need to carry out this new legislation?

We look forward to you being in place and continuing that strong relationship.

Not unlike what we saw in Iraq, the training of the military and the enlistment of folks into the military in Afghanistan has been on the rise.

I do believe, however, they suffer a very similar problem.

I think that the Russians certainly recognize that some of the most serious threats to their own security are the same as the ones that we worry about: instability to their south, Islamic fundamentalism, and of course the conflict in…

As Senator Levin said, we're going to take up this bill it looks like next Thursday.

This train wreck that was coming 10 years ago is here with respect to certain systems.

I wish we could do more of them [multi-year contracts].

We've obviously had some controversy with respect to WHINSEC, but with the changes that have been made, we now are providing a valuable service to our country because of the relationship that's been developed with Central and South…

All of you are making a real commitment to America, and for that we appreciate it very much.

As you and I talked the other day, a military solution in Afghanistan is one thing, but, at the end of the day, it's going to have to require a political solution to ultimately solve the issues there.