Brian Schatz

They play a critical role in assuring the continued operation of an open and democratic Congress.

Thank you, Chair Capito.

What is your policy on cell phones?

And we here want to make sure that this is successful and seamless and safe.

Thank you very much.

Can I count on your leadership to work with us on this problem, recognizing that some of the mechanisms, programs, and policies that are working elsewhere are obviously, empirically speaking, not working in Hawaii?

I am hoping this can be the beginning of the end of chronic homelessness in Hawaii.

I want to talk a little bit about the Pacific Pathways initiative, which is designed to develop relationships and elevate the Army's commitment to the region.

These arbitrary spending limits will force you to make hard choices, almost impossible choices, about how to invest in the Army's future.

That's why Vice Chairman Durbin and I introduced the Sequestration Relief Act, and I know there are other members working on other legislative solutions.

Could you talk a little bit about the Pacific Pathways initiative, what you've been able to accomplish, and how sequester would threaten that progress?

I guess I am having a difficult time understanding how there is any costs at all that goes on the books.

I would just ask you to stay nimble on this one because we're obviously nowhere near having built out all 93 acres.

The high risk list provides Congress and the committee a clear and informed set of oversight priorities.

I think all of that will be determined in the negotiations.

I certainly don't want to see us using taxpayer dollars to have to do environmental mitigation on land that we went out of our way to acquire.

I understand CBO has produced more than 3,000 written cost estimates under your leadership, and that this is your 50th and perhaps last congressional hearing.

I am anxious today to get started on our work together examining the budgets of agencies funded in this bill and making sure that the taxpayers' money is being spent wisely.

I look forward to working with our two agencies today and throughout the year to ensure that both have the resources needed to fulfill your responsibilities.

So, in the interest of time, I'd actually like to maybe put these questions in the record.

But does the expertise, is it the same set of knowledge and expertise and all the rest of it on the Library side?

What about the expenditure side? Am I misunderstanding what an energy savings performance contract is?

I think the most important thing to consider in the future, in how you modernize the Copyright Office from the point of view of the national collection, is that the record of the private-sector intellectual and cultural creativity…

Funding for the Library of Congress... supports the subject-matter experts and library scientists who curate and preserve American creativity and scholarship.

However, I would say that there is an upside to maturity and that we have been doing this for a number of years.