Richard Blumenthal

Certainly this experience shows that no part of our country, no place, is immune from gun violence.

Your responses are very reassuring and welcome. If there is anything that we can do to make possible full funding, I hope you'll let us know.

I'm somewhat disappointed to see... that both the Navy and the Marine Corps are reducing available funds.

I think it's also commendable.

Predictable and on time, which is what the submarine building program has been.

I wonder whether there have been changes in the systems providing for greater oversight and scrutiny.

I think the reason for my questioning is basing more of these ships in the United States means more jobs in the United States.

Is there a way that more of those ships can be based in the United States rather than based abroad?

It projects a nuclear deterrent that potentially could be aimed at this country protecting interests beyond just its immediate area.

I am asking about the literally thousands of others who suffer from PTSD, a condition that was undiagnosed until 1980.

I commend them and I know that, General Dempsey, you have been instrumental in achieving them.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

Measures like automatic train control...might well have prevented needless tragedy.

The need for action...indicate the need for action.

I really look forward to working and cooperating with you.

I thought so, and as you know, Ms. Caldwell was responsible for the Enron prosecution, so she is certainly aware and sensitive to the importance of whistleblowers in major prosecutions.

Unprecedented in our modern experience, would create, expand, advance, and extend a number of VA benefits, services, and programs that are important to the DAV and to our members.

None of the oversight was adversarial in nature, which is why I propose the constitutional advocate.

This is probably the most overseen program in the history of the American intelligence community.

I believe that the constitutional advocate, far from being a lightweight institution, has to be a real heavyweight to protect the Constitution.

I may be the only person on this Committee who feels this way, but I believe that the disclosure that only 30 percent of these records are actually collected and that the proportion has plummeted since 2006 is a real game changer.

The bottom line is nobody knows what the Supreme Court would say when confronted with such an extensive and ongoing program of this kind.

I think if we had come forward and opined on some balancing test or some other aspect and had not looked at the statute carefully, people would have criticized us, 'Well, you did not read the statute.'

Even with counsel. And without it, reliance on a judge is often hazardous.

Issue spotting is a challenging business.