But first and foremost regarding Palau, it just really bothers me that the State Department and the Defense Department are not stepping forward to help fulfill our country's obligations.

I would really like this Committee, Mr. Chairman, to focus very clearly on the obligations of these other Departments and not just Interior.

I met with their Ambassador and he is clearly frustrated with the fact that our country, having entered into this Agreement, has not lived up to its Agreement.

I think that we need to restore some of the eligibility of our compact citizens for particularly three programs, Medicare, TANF and SNAP.

In fact, I had to step in and ask for an extension of time to enable our, especially our Marshall Island citizens in Hawaii, to be able to enroll for health care.

Are there any programs to bring some of the more experienced people back into the workforce or keep them in longer to fill that gap--experienced staff?

There have been some real creative ideas from the workers themselves that have been incorporated into the shipyard.

I offered an amendment that was added to the pending energy bill to boost the involvement of veterans in a new energy workforce training pilot program.

I commend the Army for expanding its use of renewable energy, including the upcoming biofuel-capable generation plant at Schofield Barracks in Hawaii.

I would say that that should be a top priority for our committees and our subcommittees.

The national security of our country is greatly dependent on the implementation of energy security efforts.