I support, as a general principle, the DOD efforts to bring efficiencies into the process over there.

I'm also renewing my call to President Obama to withhold any final action on this recommendation until we have that sort of information.

There are no decisions of this magnitude that are military decisions. Not in the United States.

Any proposal relating to major changes affecting unified combatant commands should be guided by a clear process.

The present lack of transparency and consultation... stands in stark contrast to how these decisions traditionally are made.

We need to get our questions answered. We deserve to have a full understanding of the Department's analysis and implications.

Mr. Speaker, over the last year, there has been a lively debate on the future of NASA's manned spaceflight program. The debate has largely focused on the role of commercial space and what direction the government programs should take…

Well, with respect to funding, as you know, if a disability is service-connected, it will be funded.

I was really gratified to see, recently, just over the past month or so, after we, in our country, began discussing this issue a little more openly, that China has been willing to share some data on the construction in Yunnan.

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.