Madeleine Bordallo: “The fiscal year 2012 budget request reflects shortfalls in depot maintenance requirements across the Department.”

I have long stated that just as important as it is to provide our service members with new, modernized equipment, we must fully maintain the assets that we already have.

Thank you very much, Mr. Chairman. And I hope you don't extract this from my 5 minutes, but there is a native of Guam in the audience today, and I am very proud of her.

If we are going to rebuild readiness, we need to ensure that the depot maintenance accounts are fully funded to meet the requirement.

The system needs, as you said, overhauling. There is no question about it, whether you go to privatization, or whatever. And it should not be a monopoly.