Mazie Hirono

I think that the example that you cited, women serving in the military, will transform the military.

For the individual veteran to navigate his or her way through the system is really a challenge.

I would hate for us to appropriate $421 million for you to develop a system and then it cannot ever be implemented.

I thought I was hearing wrong when the Senator talked about Liberal.

I think we just want all of this to actually happen.

Our acquisition process is highly complicated, and yet we are stuck in a bygone era.

I think that if we define 'constraints' as, really, speed, thrift, simplicity, I think that's what we're getting at.

I think it's a great approach.

According to your testimony, your Bureau is now reviewing over 5,000 pages of technical feedback on the draft rule.

Did you also take into consideration--I realize this is difficult to predict because you do not want to make any predictions based on the actual occurrence of disasters--but when there is a disaster and there are deaths, then the company…

Thank you, Madam Chairman.

If the environmental and safety regulatory standards laid out in the WCR are implemented, operators will have to factor in the cost of the compliance with the rule in addition to their operating costs.

I would say that we should move forward with this bill.

I've often wondered why it is that we don't separate out these budgets, because, in the States, it's--the capital budgets are usually called the capital improvements budget [plans], CIP.

Usually an organization can move forward if there is a guiding overriding goal.

I wonder about that, because, for example, on the issue of things such as base closures, it is really hard for us.

Do the other two panel members want to chime in?

I think all of the panelists said that--indicated that this is not the armed services that we would have if we were creating this body because our military is a product of history.

I think the way in which you spend the money is absolutely critical.

We have a pretty good investment inside DOD in R&D. It is not well focused.

The Defense Department has used a technology, basically quality over quantity, to stay ahead of the other countries.

Perhaps one of the ways that we incentivize the private sector is, of course, to have the potential of technology transfer.

We also clearly do not spend enough on R&D.

I think that, when we lose our technological edge, then numbers begin to matter more.

I do agree, Mr. Brimley, that we should have a close relationship--strong relationship between the Active Army and the National Guard.