Johnny Isakson

I think if the Committee will pay close attention to his recommendations on the Federal recovery coordinators. It will make a marvelous difference in that program.

I want to thank our veterans, Steve Bohn and Tim Horton, for their sacrifice, their service, and their willingness to testify today.

I think it is very appropriate that the Committee asked Colonel Lorraine to testify today.

Well, they are always stronger than the guys anyway. My wife taught me that a long time ago.

Based on my experience, that is a good sign for the way forward, because when these camps develop, they end up becoming enclaves in perpetuity.

Hearing no objection, I'll let you rule.

I am really worried with Walter Reed closing and Bethesda taking over all of the work in this area.

Sometimes there are too many layers and that is when people fall through the cracks.

Well, if, as Secretary Lynn says, he has 163--is that right?

The Federal recovery program is essential to getting the seamless transition working, FRCs I think they call them.

General Schumacher in Augustine, Georgia at Fort Gordon and the Charlie Norwood VA established the first seamless transition program for veterans leaving DOD and going into veterans health care.

If he has 146 coordinators at active duty and you have 22 in the FRC, that ratio itself begs the question: are we not understaffed, because the number is going to be about equal.

There is a balance, in my judgment, between reasonable regulation, reasonable compliance, reasonable government oversight, but when it goes too far then the unintended consequences do what we have tried to prevent in this country and that…

The pattern of practice that has been exhibited over the last 2 years, in terms of changing the level playing field that we have had, is alarming to me as one who ran a company for 22 years, worked hard to provide jobs.

I think Africa is a critical continent to our country in the future.

I think the end result is that we gain two friends in one part of the world with all our effort.

If we are doing climate change primarily in its focus on agriculture and its effect on agriculture, why would that not be a part of the Food for the Future appropriation rather than being titled 'climate change'?

The Food for the Future--I believe that is what it is called--which is an outstanding program because, as I understand it, we are teaching people to farm and develop their own food products and improve their quality of life.

If we are successful in making the Republic of Georgia the poultry capital of the world, it will mean the two capitals of the world in poultry are Georgia in the United States of America and Georgia in the old Soviet Union.

I would love for you to ask whoever came up with that result to call me and meet with me.

I commented on my tremendous support for the Millennium Challenge, and it is the right way to invest foreign assistance money because of the payback.

I have told him before and seen firsthand in Africa myself that investment has a tremendous payback for the United States of America in more than one way.

Every part of the appropriations of the United States for the fiscal year 2012 year are going to be under tremendous scrutiny and under tremendous pressure because of the demands on us to reduce our deficit and our debt over time.

I want to commend you and Secretary Clinton because the leverage of our support in those critical days leading up to that referendum... has been instrumental for our country and very successful.

This is about the commerce of the United States of America and the access of our ports on the Eastern Seaboard and what that produces in revenue to the country.