Richard Blumenthal

Is there any possibility that this funding could be restored?

I'm concerned, and my guess is you share that concern, about the reduction from 72 to 59 in fiscal year 2012 going to 2013.

I would hope that we could pursue the possibility of using American helicopters, rather than the Mi-17.

I want to focus, if I may, on an area that has greatly concerned me, the Improvised Explosive Devices (IED) and the flow of material from Pakistan to Afghanistan.

I am greatly concerned by the potential impact that some of these proposals could have on the ability of our military to attract the quality of people, and they are people of truly extraordinary quality, as you know better than I.

Please provide the number and percentage of the Special Operations Forces (SOF) personnel that do not reach the 20-years-of-service mark.

If we can declassify some of this information, it would really enhance the appreciation and understanding of the American public in general.

The SyNAPSE Program is really one of the most promising medical activities in the world today, I can say without too much exaggeration.

Submarine forces provide assurance, deterrence, and valuable contributions to the forward defense of the United States.

What I am concerned about in both Tunisia and Libya is the negative influence that the presence of violent extremist organizations (VEO) will have in those two countries.

I have been so impressed by the kind of care that you have provided to troops coming back to Connecticut and elsewhere.

I want to join all of my colleagues in thanking both of you for your very distinguished and dedicated service.

Just to finish with one quick question about the cooperation with Israel in the event of an attack on Iran's nuclear armaments or capabilities.

I think we may come forward if you'd be willing to consider it.

I believe that we need more effective measures for enforcement to counter that approach, because it will undermine your best efforts.

When it strikes you as odd, I assume that 'odd'--and it is a very well chosen word--may be a euphemism for strange or unnecessary or invasive, unacceptable.

So you would say that the commitment of our military, our Defense Department, and our strategic planners is undiluted when it comes to the Ohio-class replacement.

I agree completely, and I wonder if you could speak to the significance of the Ohio-class submarine replacement in terms of what its value is.

Thank you for your great work on this issue.

I think other members of the committee and Congress would as well and hope that your persuasive efforts and your efforts to lead by example on this score are persuasive to the Pakistanis.

I think there is no other way to put it.

I have one more area that I would like to cover and that is in terms of human trafficking.

Unemployment rates among the recently returned veterans, particularly our younger veterans, are significantly higher than the general population, which I think is absolutely unacceptable and intolerable.

We owe them better. We must do better for them.

I am very sympathetic to your answer. I am very supportive as a longtime prosecutor before I moved to this job...