Daniel Akaka

That is inhumane. It is bad public policy. It is morally wrong.

The rising rate of suicide among these men and women is especially heartbreaking.

I want to be candid about the fact that the fiscal year 2012 budget may need to be enhanced.

For the first time we have before us a budget containing funding for future VA health care spending.

At the outset I am delighted to see an increase in staffing for regional offices. However, we need to be vigilant that the quality of decisions will not suffer.

I am proud that the law includes provisions from my Credit Card Minimum Payment Warning Act which will provide consumers with detailed personalized information on their billing statements and access to reputable credit counseling services.

Unfortunately, investment banks, credit card issuers, and predatory lenders... are giving the term 'bank' an even greater negative connotation.

I want to welcome Chairman Bernanke back to the Committee and also to congratulate and welcome him and wish him well in his continued tenure as Chairman of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System.

We both share a commitment to improving the lives of working families by better educating, protecting, and empowering consumers.

The posture of PACOM and also USFK is of particular interest to me because of the strategic location of Hawaii in the Pacific.

I believe a well-trained and properly-sized ANA and Afghan National Police (ANP) forces are a prerequisite to America leaving Afghanistan.

The Total Force partnership between the 15th Airlift Wing and the 154th Wing is working effectively.

It is crucial that America protect and defend its vital interests in the realm of cyberspace.

China is investing heavily in fourth-generation fighters and advanced surface-to-air missiles.

Our Nation and military must grow our foreign language capability.

Our National security is tightly linked to cyberspace, where conflict is not limited by geography or time.

Secretary Mabus, keeping track of a ship's locations during its lifetime is an important operational and historic function.

Secretary Mabus, a frequently cited estimate is that around 800,000 personnel served on ships located off the coast of Vietnam during the Vietnam war. Is this an accurate number?

It is vitally important that our citizens, both in and out of uniform, understand the importance of saving, debt reduction, planning for retirement, and understanding investments.

Many military personnel and their family members who were stationed at Camp Lejeune from the late 1950s through the late 1980s may have been exposed to contaminated drinking water.

Secretary Mabus, is there a current registry of those exposed to environmental toxins at NAF Atsugi? If not, why?

I applaud the Navy and Marine Corps for their campaign to increase the involvement of their leaders at all ranks in suicide prevention efforts.

To ensure mission success, the Navy must have shipyards that are modern, flexible, and safe.

The transition to the F-22 Raptor at Hickam AFB is on track.

It is impossible to overstate the importance of our military engagement in the Asia Pacific region.