Mark Udall

I think that is an important insight.

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

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

The recent aggressive behavior of North Korea and the continued belligerence of Iran's pursuit of a nuclear weapons program tend to show the need for an effective and robust missile defense system is as great as it ever has been before.

It's no secret that the Russian government continues to demand concessions and assurances on our missile defense programs.

We do have confidence in the ability of the ballistic missile defense system to defend the United States against a limited attack from both North Korea and Iran today and in the near future.

Iron Dome is a very successful missile defense system.

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.

Clearly, there is an effect on projects, especially the kinds of projects we run, whether they are construction projects, LEPs, frankly projects that we have going in other countries to secure borders, to secure material.

Do you all agree that it's essential that before we deploy these 14 additional GBIs that we need to test the system?

I was a little alarmed yesterday to hear you suggest that this administration had perhaps discussed or considered declassifying information on our missile defense program in order to ease concerns of the Russian government.

A strategic plan is very important.

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

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

But until we do, we have to be strong and through that strength comes peace.

Let me turn to a question and comments I am sure you would have on the capacity of the laboratories to do non-defense-related research.

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

So there might be more than one trusted agent. You might have some trusted agents.

I understand that one issue that is hindering communication between DOD and the industry is the sharing of classified information.

He was Governor of Maine. He knew that every dollar of taxpayers' funds had to be spent well and with transparency.

We are operating under the illusion it is going to save money.

The sequester is going to end up costing us money.

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

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?

I was intrigued, to put it mildly, to hear that you and the other laboratories often are competing with Google and Twitter.