Richard Blumenthal

I just think that a court is charged with applying the law as it's written and it's interpreted by the courts and the appellate courts above that trial court.

I proudly introduce him to the committee with great confidence that, if confirmed--and I hope when confirmed--he will be an outstanding member of the District Court.

In fact, the congressional delegation that I joined, as recently as August, met with at least one of the owners of those plants who indicated that their production is ongoing and the Pakistanis have the wherewithal to stop the flow of…

I would see no need for that kind of release if, in fact, the talks are ongoing.

I have heard nothing. I have seen nothing that indicates they are making that kind of significant effort.

Again, to come to the bottom line here, they have really made no significant effort so far.

We, by the way, settled the cases and the investigations involving these companies to the benefit of our police departments in Connecticut.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman, and thank you all for being here today.

One key to revitalizing the aging C-130 fleet could be to replace the older four-bladed propellers with newer eight-bladed propellers.

JSTARS is a real game changer.

The JSTARS ability to acquire and pass updated geo-locations in near-real-time acts as a valuable force-multiplier for many of our assigned intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) assets.

So you would see a continued commitment to it?

JSTARS is essential to the C2 [command and control] analysis and targeting cycle and their loss would significantly degrade NATO's ability to bring dynamic targeting strike assets to bear on Regime forces.

I join my colleagues in thanking you for your service and note that the description that you gave earlier of trading, I think you put it, size or number or quantity for quality is a dilemma faced by many of your colleagues in DOD.

I'm very concerned about the impact on our active force and our National Guard.

Is that transition assistance skill training, counseling, expanding, and enhancing in the way that you have planned to do?

We've been proud to support that sub base because it performs such an important mission.

I believe that going back to that program would be cost effective in the long run.

Thank you for those comments. I will say on behalf of the State of Connecticut, we've been proud to support that sub base because it performs such an important mission.

The Pakistanis have been of very little or insignificant help in interdicting the ammonium calcium nitrate fertilizer that flows across the border?

I admire and respect the success of our marines and our soldiers in Afghanistan.

Thank you and the Marine Corps for that great work.

Would you agree that part of the defense against that attack and part of defining the criteria has to be deciding what the offense should be, what the deterrent should be?

Without putting you on the spot, could you express to us your view?

Overall, I see the funding request for fiscal year 2013 for JIEDDO has been decreased by $540 million.