Lisa Murkowski

Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

We depend on the FERC to make sure that our electricity supply stays reliable and affordable.

We count on the Department of the Interior to manage our public lands and to facilitate the production of our Nation's tremendous resource base.

I look forward to hearing how each of them will undertake those jobs if ultimately confirmed.

I support all 4 of their nominations.

Can you think of any reason why you should not be able to accommodate that meeting?

I would appreciate that a great deal.

Have we identified how much will actually be saved, where that comes from, whether it's in personnel reductions or from infrastructure cost reductions?

If there is any way to include a meeting with the mayor of the Fairbanks North Star Borough so that he can share, again, some of these very local issues that I think are relevant I would certainly encourage that.

But, again, was there any data that was different this go-around in this tabletop exercise than what we saw back in 2005?

What is the business justification for moving the Aggressor squadron from Eielson Air Force Base to Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson?

I also recognize that our wing commanders are there for very brief periods and then they move on.

I appreciate that the Budget Control Act puts us in a very difficult spot.

There is an obligation for consultation. There is an obligation for that information.

But with this somewhat ad hoc realignment proposal that is now out there on the table for Eielson, it doesn't bring any of that assistance to the communities.

I'm concerned that what it looks like is we're trying to break Eielson down in small pieces to put it in a situation where it really doesn't stand on its own.

It seems to me that the Air Force is taking the position that it can avoid the intent of either of these two statutes.

Many up north feel that the Air Force, since it was not able to get this proposal through the BRAC Commission, is simply trying to accomplish this through a different means.

I would certainly hope that individual has been recognized for his persistence, standing up for the Constitution.

I appreciate that. Thank you, Director.

The Government's failure to prosecute Bill Allen sends an awful message, just an awful message to other predators.

I appreciate the good work that you have done for Alaska's veterans, and I look forward to continuing to work with you.

I think it's important that we be looking to the various alternatives that do exist.

We have seen a 38-percent reduction in the number of veterans who are tasked to travel outside of the State for care.

I'm pleased to hear that we are making a little bit of progress on these memorandums of agreement.