We have put the Afghan National Security Forces in the best possible position to be able to, at a minimum, hold, to stop the Taliban from taking back over the government.

I would hate to see us walk away--or be seen as waking away from those gains.

I encourage you, just in recognition of sort of maintaining the integrity of our effort, that we do everything we can to help the Afghans who have helped us, especially those translators.

We really can't miss that date, right, in terms of deploying that first Ohio submarine, because we really start to have a readiness problem if that happens.

In my view, bolstering investments in Pell Grants and ensuring the program's long-term sustainability is vitally important to expanding access, affordability, and student success.

For the record, I mean since 1985 when sequestration was first enacted after Gramm-Rudman-Hollings, Congress never let it go this far.

I also want to congratulate or complement both you and the Secretary in terms of getting the 2014 second submarine in the Virginia-class program protected through the CR.

America buys, people buy insurance for a reason, as a hedge against the unknown.

Finally, America is also becoming increasingly diverse, and this committee and this Congress must ensure that all students, including students of color and immigrants, are able to afford a college education.

And although at least there was some partial response by getting the continuing resolution [CR] passed, clearly what we are hearing this morning is that you still have unacceptable risk, that you are still going to be forced to try and…

Again it was at that point projected to be 22 days of furloughs. The last reports I have seen is it is down to 7.

I hope that people will continue to look at that again.

While I commend President Obama for increasing the maximum Pell grant award to $5,785, I strongly believe that all federal student loan programs must ensure that students have affordable college loans now and into the future.

Again, I know the Navy has been trying to focus on trying to extract as many savings out of the requirements process.

To remain globally competitive and prepare a highly trained workforce, America must continue to invest in federal financial aid programs that support student access and success.

There is a basic principle of Anglo- American common law that reaches back to antiquity that goes as follows: Without a remedy, there is no right. Ubi jus, ibi remedium. That is the common-law doctrine which was the cornerstone of the…

I hope I can get that commitment from you here this morning.

I was wondering if you have anything you can share with us this morning about where you see that headed.

I want to thank you for the work that you did in the last Congress regarding the force structure change with the Air National Guard.

I want to, again, just end by applauding the work that you did with Congress last year.

Working families deserve better than a bill that forces them to choose between overtime pay and the family-friendly policies they desire.

The Fair Labor Standards Act today would allow employers and employees to negotiate for exactly that kind of flexibility.

This Tuesday was Equal Pay Day. I spent the afternoon at another institution... talking about a meaningful economic agenda for women and families.

There is nothing that is illegal about having--as an employer giving that person that time off as a matter of law.

That amounts to an interest-free loan paid for by the workers' wages.