Alaska, as you know, Dr. Lubchenco, is ground zero for climate change. Change is occurring in the Arctic twice as fast as anywhere else on the planet.

Alaska's a little larger in size, but let me follow up.

In order to add time, it would take legislative action.

The Coalition supports legislation sponsored by Senator Mark Begich that would authorize shipment of a second private-owned vehicle to Alaska, Hawaii, and Guam.

You discussed the stovepipes inhibiting communications between the critical government agencies responsible for business development.

I always get nervous--no disrespect, Dr. Lubchenco--when administrators use the word soon.

So let me--and I'll summarize and I have a series, but we'll flip back and forth here between the Ranking Member and myself on questions, but let me ask are you then on kind of a Plan B?

You wanted to explore the value of e-commerce for veterans in rural America.

we're doing some new initiatives. We could argue that new initiatives are important.

It really is an issue of finances and trade-offs, and I think it has been challenging to date.

Can you discuss any specific outreach efforts that VETS has made to reach out to the Alaska Native veteran community?

I think a lot of times when we deal with these budgets, we have to understand that if we don't spend it now that nickel turns into a dollar very quickly.

We know you need so many ships built.

The problem is that we don't have enough of them.

As I know Senator Ayotte and I were at a military hearing in Armed Services and one of the issues with Libya was 3 days of inability to fly was because of weather.

I want to hear more from NOAA about how it plans to deal with the likely gap in weather satellite coverage impacting Alaska and the rest of the Nation.

we need your help to figure out these priorities, knowing you do not have and will not have the money at the level that will be necessary.

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it is more important to talk to the people who actually do the business.

These are great examples of why the program and the many members that I know within the 8(a) corporations are incredibly successful.

There is no question that there have been challenges in years past on making sure the 8(a) corporations are successful.

The veteran population is growing fairly dramatic especially in rural areas.

That tells me there is a volume issue or staffing issue. We have lots being shipped out.