Thank you very much, Mr. Chairman.

I don't agree with it, but thank you for that.

It's great policy, but I read very little about how we're going to allocate money.

We also understand, besides the importance of fishing, but also shipping and the cruise industry, oil and gas, which also is in our waters.

Will you discuss the budgetary requirements--where and how that will occur?

We produce and harvest over half the seafood of the country, with--about 4 billion pounds annually--with about 2 billion-plus in value.

Thank you very much.

It was an adventure.

Thank you, Madam Chair. And usually I don't, but this is one of those issues that is pretty important to Alaska.

That's actually some very good advice in how to approach the planning effort, because sometimes we want to do it all at once, and we usually collapse under our own weight.

I introduced S. 1561 to implement the recommendations of the Arctic Council's Arctic Marine Shipping Assessment.

It's too much, too fast, too soon.

One initial reaction to the draft policy paper was that it lacked attention to the economic importance of our oceans to the Nation.

I was just intrigued by the conversation that was just happening here.

The system needs to be changed. There is no question about it.

I would be curious... what are the steps you are taking to start bringing in a new workforce to replace that.

Of course, in Alaska, that is not only life and death, it is the way of life.

It is outrageous that it takes that long, and part of me says give us the list and let us figure out how to legislatively change it.

I mean, is there such a document that exists that this committee can kind of review just to have a better understanding?

Alaska has 6 times as many pilots and 16 times as many aircraft per capita than any state in the country.

Thank you very much. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

I always view resources two points. One is financial resources, and then you may have those financial resources, but do you have the capacity to ensure that you have the people to do the work?

2 hours seems adequate at this point, based on what you are trying to accomplish?

But there is a big chunk, which, when you tally it up, it is about 2,300, give or take a few, that have not been implemented.

I'm pretty much done with medications.