Joe Courtney

The rest of the world are apples to us being an orange.

We do have a separation of powers. Before we enter into something like this, the American people do have a right to know.

We are committed to their security and also to restraining Iran.

The Affordable Care Act is bending the cost curve.

We are actually seeing incredible stability in terms of the rates.

I would just point out, coming from Connecticut, a State which embraced this law, is now in year three of its exchange.

It is one thing saying that we would eat it within a fixed topline. That would cause enormous disruption to our program.

We hope that is going to happen again, and we would very much appreciate the theory of the case behind this fund.

We need to think about this. I mean, we are past that, very frankly. We are ready to act.

I think that when you look at this case in particular and Jason Amerine and what he has done, he was in service to the entire country and to the Constitution, and he was doing his duty.

I would argue that this government in Baghdad is further adding fuel to the fire of sectarianism by allowing these Shia militia, by allowing this sectarian persecution and oppression to continue, which only allows further oxygen for ISIS…

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. And again, in the interest of time I am going to waive all opening remarks and make sure the floor is available to our two witnesses as soon as possible.

I think that is frankly one of the reasons we are in the predicament that we are in right now.

I think we are headed in the right direction, but you know, it is going to take time.

I think that is important to make that point clear.

Retreat Is Not an Option, which again reiterated the fact that one out of four 17-to 24-year olds are not fit to fight.

Thank you, Mr. Secretary, for your testimony and your leadership over the last 6-1/2 years, 8-1/2 years.

I think this hearing is, I think, a very important one for our Nation.

I think that many were frustrated by the process, in terms of how opaque it was, the fact that it took a long time.

As the Congressman for eastern Connecticut, which has experienced impact that tribal recognition can result in, I speak for the vast majority of my constituents in warning that any change in law must be handled with care.

Such a rewrite of the rules violate well established legal principles that protect the finality of judgments which all Americans have an interest in upholding.

Unfortunately, the BIA goes far beyond merely changing process--it also changes substantive law by radically rewriting criteria for recognition.

The Cooperative Strategy for 21st Century Seapower... focused on the fact that our surface forces are critical to making that strategy work.

The sort of changing technology and capabilities out there are about as threatening as existed back at the time of World War I.

This committee should look at the big picture here in terms of just what is national defense really