if Congress does not act soon, the Postal Service could be forced to implement reforms to allow the post office to be sustainable.

So I am concerned and our industry partners are concerned that some of them just are not going to make it.

This is something that my colleague Senator Shaheen and I have been working on together.

I firmly believe this is an area where we can come up with a bipartisan agreement.

I appreciate that, and I will have a couple of specific follow-ups on certain areas of our State with regard to more access.

Is there any disagreement on this panel on that? [No response.]

this is important that our men and women in uniform and our national security are not impacted by sequestration.

I am sure my colleagues, certainly Senator Shaheen, Senator King, share my concerns about the impact and the importance of our shipyards.

I am a cosponsor, along with others on this panel, of a bill that would come up with some alternative savings to provide at least a resolution of sequestration for the end of this fiscal year.

Well, obviously, I share Senator Ayotte and Senator King's concern.

Secretary Carter, could you describe the anticipated affects sequestration would have on the contract management within DOD particularly regarding contract fees and penalties?

If sequestration is triggered . . . much of the work going into the fiscal year 2014 budget will have been an exercise in futility.

Repairs to the USS Miami are scheduled to begin in fiscal year 2013; but might be deferred due to a full-year CR and sequester.

Isn't it the case that the longer we wait to get a long-term debt deal done, the more expensive and disruptive this process will be?

So when you talk about these companies being profitable, the reason that the concerns are coming back on innovation is because the companies that it punishes the most, frankly, are the startups because it is a tax on revenue, not profit.

the vote passed in the budget resolution 79-20 to repeal this tax.

Why didn't you issue guidance last August asking your Service Chiefs to submit detailed plans to implement sequestration?

I certainly want to hear from the doctor. I just wanted to follow up, though.