So you would say that is a critical gap that we should prioritize funding for?

We, Alaska, are the super power of seafood for America.

For example, in the Bering Sea, the vast majority of the Chinook salmon taken as bycatch are Alaska-bound fish.

Putting it in historical perspective, was it ocean conditions in the 1960s and 1970s where the runs were weak?

we need to know what more we can do at the Federal level, in particular, to help you

Remember, I asked you to prioritize.

So strong runs somewhere, but weak king runs pretty much all over the state, which concerns everybody.

Why do you think that's happening?

I have been pressing this fairly hard, and NOAA kind of tap dances a little bit.

Well, I have one bit of homework to do on this issue.

We will work with you if you need more resources or authorities to get to the bottom of the question.

There was a significant provision that I authored that has the authorization for six additional icebreakers.

We all think that was a good move, so that's a good initiative by the Coast Guard.

I actually support Senator Wicker's focus on another national security cutter.

I think it's pretty safe to say that Coast Guard cutters fleet, it's smaller, certainly smaller than it was 15 years ago, but the demands, as I kind of hinted at and so did Senator Baldwin, of the Coast Guard have only been increasing.

So no one's saying ten years and a billion dollars for one ship anymore, I hope?

The very missions of each agency contribute to the safety, national security, and economic growth of our nation.

I think it's a disgrace that we have men and women who serve in the uniform of the United States of America deploying on a ship that's that old and they do a great job keeping it up to speed, but, holy cow, that ship is very, very, very…

If it's going to take seven to ten years, why shouldn't we just lease some icebreakers?

We need to get it right.

as the Presiding Officer knows, I have been coming down here nearly every week--usually Wednesday or Thursday--for the last 2 years to talk about somebody who is making a big difference in my State, the great State of Alaska. I call this…

the intent of that regulation seems to be flipped on its head when you're looking at the exact point of that regulation is to help small communities with shipbuilding capacity

Thank you, Mr. O'Rourke, and I appreciate you and CRS's serious work and detailed comments and your continuing involvement and oversight, helping us with oversight, very, very important.

the bureaucratic focus on these regs when we all know it's actually hurting the very people those regs are supposed to help is starting to become a real problem

We have made progress this year, and nobody benefits more than the military.