Richard Blumenthal

I take it from what you said yesterday and what you have said here today that GM concealed material significant information from NHTSA.

But why not just come clean and say, we are going to do justice here, we are going to do the right thing, we are going to compensate the victims.

This GM is not the old GM; it is not even the pre-2014 GM. What you are doing now is incurring both legal and moral responsibility for the actions that you are taking or failing to take.

So that people should not drive on rough roads or with jarring events using one of the recalled unrepaired automobiles.

I would respectfully suggest that you advise your customers to get loaners rather than driving these cars.

Commit to a compensation fund that will do justice for the victims of the defects that killed people in your cars.

Thank you, Madam Chairman, and thank you, Senator McCaskill, for holding this hearing.

Would you commit to making them available to us?

Will this cut of 29 helicopters have a negative effect on the Navy's operational capability?

Even with the changes that you describe in the aircraft carrier, won't there still be a need for the 11 frigates to have helicopters?

Have you considered what the cost will be in adding to the ultimate procurement expense involved?

We need it on time and hopefully under budget, as our submarine-building program has done.

I'm looking at it from the taxpayers' standpoint. I'm assuming you'd agree we need the ORP.

Isn't this point a weakness in the authorization or appropriation process, to potentially put the entire ORP at risk because of this anomaly or idiosyncrasy in budgeting?

That seems like a drop in the bucket compared to the overall commitment to the entire program.

To be precise, the shortfall is $150 million?

Those planes, the fifth generation fighters, are necessary to the Marine Corps' readiness and preparedness, are they not?

Certainly, I think many of us on the subcommittee share the views that have been expressed by Senator McCain about the difficulties in reaching combat readiness for this aircraft.

To put it more directly, you don't see any reduction either in quality or number of men and women who want to serve?

I think a number of us here who have sons who have served or are serving currently would join us in thanking you for your leadership.

If there is no further business to come before the Senate, I ask unanimous consent that it stand adjourned under the previous order. There being no objection, the Senate, at 7:16 p.m., adjourned until Wednesday, March 26, 2014, at 10 a.m.

There will be four rollcall votes at 11 a.m. tomorrow and another series at 2:30 p.m. ____________________

I am increasingly aware of the problems plaguing our Reserve component due to homelessness and joblessness.

How do the individual Services ensure that every servicemember receives training, education, and credentials needed to successfully transition to the civilian workforce?

However, in today's more mobile economy, it may make better sense for the veteran to consider a different location--an industrial cluster more accommodating to the years of experience they have gained from their years in service.