I'm considering introducing legislation that would enhance retention of those experienced career servicemembers.

With increased operational demands placed on the reserve component for the past several years, signs of stress and strain are showing.

What kind of experience are you having with recruitment and retention?

Is there a need to find a way to extend TRICARE service to cover the 'gray area' between the end of affiliation with the Reserves and the start of retirement benefits?

Just two other questions, if I still have time?

Mr. Chairman, thank you very much.

And could you just give the subcommittee a general description of the Air Force presence and activities in the war theaters of Iraq and Afghanistan?

All right. What is the status of the C-27 joint cargo aircraft program?

I believe in trade and plenty of it. I think our country can compete anywhere in the world, but I think our trade agreements are almost bankrupt.

We must deal with that to protect the property, the intellectual property that we create in this country.

Do you believe that we ought to deal with the issue of the bilateral automobile trade that seems so out of balance?

It is bipartisan, a very significant effort to increase international tourism in our country.

We have to decide as a country that we are going to stand up for our economic interests by expanding trade in a manner that is fair...

This process, I believe, should also utilize a best value method that does not contain an option based purely on lowest cost.

I just want to say welcome to Secretary Donley and General Schwartz, and I look forward to their testimony.

It has been my long-held belief that our military should procure the most capable tanker possible for our airmen using a fair, open, and transparent acquisition process.

I have concerns with this acquisition method because it clearly would not reach everyone's stated objective, that is, that the Air Force procures the best tanker for our warfighters.

I believe any assertion that the Northrop Grumman tanker program steals jobs from American aerospace workers and sends them overseas is factually incorrect.