Mark Begich

The best thing is to decommission POLAR SEA, and devote all our resources into POLAR STAR

The Navy's contingency money is utilized to help offset your costs.

We need to help the Coast Guard replace its aging fleet, the program that funds port security grants.

And now what's happening, the House Republicans are trying to compound the problem by giving the Coast Guard even fewer resources.

The fact is, the Coast Guard is constantly put at the back of the line for resources, constantly forced to do more with less.

We need to know what resources you need, and then we have to make a broader policy discussion in our budgets

Thank you very much, Madam Chairman. I know you have an important bill on the floor.

Two years ago, this economy was a disaster--a disaster. And not overnight. It was a decade of neglect by many people throughout Congress.

We think we have examples and expertise that can be shared around the country on how to maximize the fishery opportunities.

I will work with you folks. I understand your global picture, but I really think this has--for Alaska it is so critical that these veterans get the care that is, you know, sitting 50 feet away from them but they cannot touch it.

It is not Montana, it is not Utah, it is not North Carolina, it is not Washington. It is very different.

We want to provide them the best care, and we believe this piece of legislation will actually lower the cost to the VA.

I want to talk about the Alaska Heroes Card. I want to describe it because sometimes there is--I have read your testimony in detail, and your concerns are: equal treatment, fairness, and reimbursements.

I just am not comfortable with your bill and what it means to other veterans also around the country who may not be in such severe situations but still in need of health care when VA has the authority to take care of most of this.

It does not seem right.

Thank you for the opportunity to join Senator Murkowski in introducing two of Alaska's finest judges.

More importantly it will save lives.

Senator, you should invite everyone that is still on the list to the Committee, and I think they will be approved immediately.

We do not have roads in lots of areas, so about 80 percent of our State is not connected by roads.

Maybe we should have a joint meeting with Armed Services Committee and Veterans on this issue.

It is just very frustrating to hear what you had to go through and the lack of coordination.

The best stories I hear are organizations like yours, the Wounded Warrior organization, that are really bringing veterans to the services they need.

Your organization strives to ensure that no Wounded Warrior must overcome challenges and adversity alone.

A Federal task force I commissioned validated the need for a single rate.

The unemployment rate for our returning veterans is completely unacceptable.