I would like to join you in thanking our witnesses for being here with us this morning to discuss how we can get to the goal of a 355-ship Navy.

Ultimately, if we do not act to amend or replace the Budget Control Act, we could end up cutting, not increasing, the size of the Navy.

I think we need to be very realistic in the short-term and in the long-term of ways that we can get to this goal.

I just want to make sure that if we need to look at the statutory basis for us going forward with these two kinds of contracts that you all agree are good, then I will explore that.

I just wanted to note that as a very strong supporter of the Jones Act, not only is the Jones Act important to maintaining our industrial base, but it is a very important part of national security.

I commend you for that because that was something that you did internally. You were able to effect a shortening of the time frame for when you would be able to hire the needed workers.

We do have bipartisan support for eliminating the sequestration, but we have not quite been able to achieve that.

That cutting would not be done with a scalpel, but rather the meat cleaver that is sequestration.

Is it your understanding that the Administration intends to maintain pursuit of fully implementing UN sanctions?

When do you estimate that North Korea will have the capability to strike Hawaii, Alaska and the Continental United States?

It is clear that North Korea is committed to developing long-range missile technology.