Richard Blumenthal

I am proud that Senator Patty Murray has worked so hard with me.

That is what Roe v. Wade essentially said. It is the right of privacy. It is a constitutional right.

None of us on this panel is a doctor, and none of us in the United States Senate, or in Congress, or anywhere in Government, ought to be interfering with women's rights based on scientific decisions where we are completely unqualified to…

I have long believed that decisions by women about their reproductive rights ought to be made by them in consultation with their family, their clergy, and, most important, with their doctors.

I appreciate the very articulate points that you have made, and I can well understand that you appreciate that production of helicopters, production of most anything that is so essential to our Army and our military cannot be turned on and…

I am very concerned that the level of request for the fiscal year 2017 budget is inadequate.

There will be an increase somewhere in that group.

We need to give them more time to train and more time to have a full career in the airplane.

I think to have a plan next year is great, but it seems to me if we are expecting a deficit of 834 by 2022, the sooner the better.

But if you do not have enough good pilots, all this stuff is worthless.

The Air Force is currently 511 fighter pilots short of the total manning requirement, and our projections indicate this deficit will continue to grow to approximately 834 by 2022.

I want to thank you all for your focus on this fact.

I can attest to the fact that nobody on this side of the United States Senate wears a Blue Star.

The proposed budget cuts the Department of Homeland Security's Port Security Grant funding program from $100 million to $93 million.

The proposed budget raises a number of concerns for me--and I'm sure it does for others who have critical assets in their state that need to be protected from terrorist threats.

I strongly believe that greater access to Lifeline benefits will provide support for veterans in need.

It is in a long-term sense pro-business, pro-jobs, because it enables people who play by the rules to have a level playing field.

What these rules do--laws, regulations, rules--is essentially protect good guys in business from the unfair competition of people who break the law.

I think in many instances it's really that simple.

Cramming is fraud. It's digital age pick-pocketing, and it's good that we've had consent decrees with carriers that have allowed it to occur.

All carriers should be required to protect consumers from deceitful practices and stop anyone from profiting from them.

I raised the mobile cramming issue and asked several of you if you would commit to initiating an FCC rulemaking.

Everybody on this panel has provided very distinguished service to our country.

In the fiscal year 2016 NDAA, Congress authorized $300 million for the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative.

Turning back to the Ukraine, how significant is the issue of corruption there in your view?