Thank you very much, Mr. Chairman. I've submitted the questions, but I would like to thank Mr. Boyd for making the special effort to be with us for this important hearing.

I will continue to work to ensure that the Native Hawaiian people have their right to self-governance honored.

Its passage is long overdue, governmental parity for Native Hawaiians, American Indians and Alaska Natives, all of the first nations of the United States is pono, it's the right thing.

You created a pathway for the United States and Native Hawaiians to engage in a process of reconciliation.

I commend the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) in its efforts to improve the delivery of foreign assistance in more-efficient ways.

I can assure you that I will be voting and speaking against it.

The advancements military medicine has made over the last several decades have not only dramatically improved medical care on the battlefield.

On behalf of the subcommittee, I thank the Surgeons General, and the Chief of the Nurses Corps, and we look forward to working with you in the coming months.

Thank you again for this opportunity to share the remarkable accomplishments of Navy nurses and your unwavering support of the nursing profession.

Thank you for your unwavering support of military nursing and the profession of nursing.

Thank you very much, General Siniscalchi.

We in the Army Nurse Corps are dedicated to the compassionate and trusted healthcare that we provide to America's sons and daughters.

Thank you very much.

There is still much more to be done.

Chairman Inouye, Vice Chairman Cochran, we appreciate this opportunity to speak to you about Army nursing, and we also appreciate all of your support to Army nursing.

I thank this subcommittee for your tremendous support to military medics.

I am very humbled and honored to represent the more than 40,000 men and women that comprise Army nursing, and also to serve as the 24th Chief of the Army Nurse Corps.

In this challenging fiscal environment, I will do my best to support the continued progress of science and U.S. competitiveness.

healthcare is one of the most basic benefits we can provide to the men and women of our Nation.

I want to thank you for the great work you've done here.

I strongly suggest to you that, as with the budget, it is always better to start these conversations sooner.

I want to applaud you and the President for working to find ways to support our small businesses and decrease our trade deficit even in these perilous budget times.

I absolutely believe that our leaders are dedicated to doing this.

I look forward to working with you to make certain that the fiscal year 2013 appropriations bill reflects the current and future needs of the U.S. Army.

Many of us have privately expressed concerns, primarily on the risks that may be involved.