On the recordNovember 17, 2011
first, let me thank the Senator from New Hampshire for not only her comments about the committee work and myself and Senator McCain personally, but I want to tell her, and tell anyone within the sound of my voice, what a valuable member of our committee she is. She is someone who is there all the time, and I very much value the input she gives to us because of her regular presence at our hearings and our meetings. So I thank her for that as well as her comments. I also thank her for this amendment. It is a good amendment. I understand from my staff, and from what the Senator said as well, there was a hearing held specifically on this subject, and that Senator Reed, as chairman, made a commitment to hold that hearing, as I understand it. He is a cosponsor of the amendment of Senator Ayotte. As far as I can see, it is a good amendment, a sound amendment, and it does what Senator McCain said, as well as what the Senator from New Hampshire has said. It avoids spending money on something we can't afford to spend money on. I don't know of any objection on this side, and I support the amendment.
