CRs, although they're seductive in that you can think they're saving costs, they actually can add costs.

With the B61 life extension, we need both the weapons and the bombers.

U.S. extended deterrence is playing a central role in reinforcing security and stability on the Korean Peninsula.

Together, we will develop long-term solutions to achieving a balance between national security spectrum requirements and meeting the expanding demand of commercial broadband services.

Let us turn to the 's' word--it is not a four-letter word, but it feels like one some days--'sequestration.'

Let us talk about retention of scientists and engineers. Are you worried about retaining key personnel at the two physics laboratories, which of course are Los Alamos and Livermore?

As the New START treaty is implemented, Air Force missile wings would like some flexibilities in determining which silos to shut down.

The recent North Korean crisis demonstrated the importance of our deterrent.

Does the fiscal year 2014 budget request enable you to meet your commitments to maintaining the existing stockpile?

As I understand it, you are working to bring new entrants into the medium and heavy lift launch market while assuring reliable access to space.

A strategic plan is very important.

Let me turn to the replacement fuze for the W88 submarine warhead.

Iron Dome is a very successful missile defense system.

The budget reduction was approximately $683 million that was flowed down from the fiscal year 2013 appropriation.

Some have suggested there may be a gap in our Homeland defense coverage, particularly the east coast, against a possible future Iranian ICBM threat if we do not move now to build a missile defense site on the east coast.

The reduction constrains AFGSC's operational flexibility to support operations beyond this minimum.

Are you concerned about too many programs carried out at Sandia?

Thank you, Senator Fischer.

The sequester is going to end up costing us money.

Yes. That is a job and responsibility we have yet to shoulder. We need to.

We here in Congress imposed an indiscriminate budget reduction process called sequestration for the fiscal year 2013.

It's all the more important that we maintain a balanced triad.

I think I hear you saying that although it would be convenient to assume that plutonium science has discovered everything that there is to discover and that a plutonium pit is a plutonium pit, that, in fact, is not the case.

We are going to work on, what I hear you saying, the political, diplomatic, economic fronts, but we are also not going to be shy about developing our defensive capabilities, and there is no reason we should not develop offensive…

I think that is a useful step in that I think it builds trust. It builds transparency in there.