Richard Shelby

God knows we hope and pray.

You brought up several things that I think are very relevant and very interesting.

If you don't do that, you're going to have a brain drain, aren't you?

Does the 2019 request provide adequate inventory levels of your most important munitions?

How important is this program to us in the future?

Restoring readiness to support a total force of 500,000 Airmen and over 5,000 aircraft must remain a top priority for this committee.

The Air Force is requesting $156.3 billion, an increase of about $4.6 billion over amounts appropriated for fiscal year 2018.

Thank you, Senator Durbin.

We should never be behind the market, should we?

You can't let the market run ahead of you, technologically.

Senator, you tell us that one of our biggest threats, greatest enemies, is Russia. Turns out, we read recently, that Russia spends about $80 billion a year on its military budget--$80 billion. Senator, aren't you increasing the Department…

We acknowledge the challenging assignment you face to source an increasing demand for forces today while also modernizing to compete with more technically capable adversaries.

With this budget request, the Army will continue to build readiness and counter threats posed by near-peer competitors while modernizing in order to face future threats.

The Army is seeking $182.1 billion in its current request, which is an increase of about $5 billion over amounts appropriated for fiscal year 2018.

The Defense subcommittee will reconvene on Wednesday, May 9 at 10:00 a.m., to receive testimony from the Secretary of Defense and the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

As you know our greatest military assets are our fighting forces.

The National Defense Authorization Act for 2017 and 2018 contained a number of provisions that will transform the Military Health System.

We hope to hear more about your priorities and work to improve medical readiness.

The committee here supports the advancements that our military has made in treating our wounded.

Please describe your efforts to collaborate with the FBI, as well as what synergies exist...

I am looking forward to working with Attorney General Sessions and all of my colleagues on the subcommittee in drafting a bill that funds the Department in an appropriate and sufficient manner.

This committee is going to do its work.

I think it's very important for us not to sell things or help other companies, foreign companies, control things that we deem are important to our national security.

We can play a significant role here through your leadership and trying to get away from the CR nonsense and getting back to regular work.

We all hope that there are going to be some diplomatic breakthroughs dealing with Korea, North Korea, and so forth, but if there's not, does the Navy and the Marines stand in readiness to do whatever we have to do to protect our national…